Interim Chairperson of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) Abdul Ghafoor Moosa (Gapo) has proposed postponing the party's Chairperson elections and National Council elections until after the presidential primaries, citing lack of funds to conduct the elections and the possibility of the elections leading to further discord within the party. 

In a message sent to the National Council's WhatsApp group, Ghafoor said that holding the two elections at the present time may lead to rifts within the party, which will in turn negatively impact the party's efforts to hold the government accountable. 

As a second reason for proposing the delay, Ghafoor said that the party currently lacks the funds to hold the elections. He stated that the party is yet to receive annual funds from the government. 

"Therefore I am proposing that the leadership discusses and reaches an interim arrangement (excluding me) to manage the party. And for this to be proposed and approved through the National Council," a source quoted Ghafoor as saying. 

Ghafoor's proposal comes even as former President Mohamed Nasheed and South Galolhu MP Meekail Ahmed Naseem are conducting energetic campaigns in their Chairperson bids. The two candidates, representing the two factions within MDP, have been exchanging heated words during campaign events. 

If Ghafoor's proposal is accepted, this would become the second time that the Chairperson election is being postponed. The party's National Council passed in December last year to postpone the election until after the Local Council Elections were concluded. 

That time, the postponement was proposed by Hoarafushi member Ahmed Saleem, and had 58 out of 69 members present voting in favour. 

The motion submitted by Saleem on December 9, 2025, called for candidacy applications for the Chairperson elections to be opened no more than 7 days after the Local Council Elections, and for the election timeline to be decided in line with party regulations and policies. 

The Chairperson elections were announced this time in line with this motion.

The President of the party's Appeals Judicial Council Ahmed Abdulla Afeef has also sent a letter to the Interim Chairperson appealing for the chairperson election to be delayed. 

In the letter, Afeef said that Article 46 of the party's statute places the responsibility of organizing the election on the President of the Appeals Judicial Council. Hence, decisions regarding the election cannot be made by any branch of the party without consulting him, Afeef wrote. 

Afeef maintains that the election announcement and timeline are in violation of party regulations, and hence will be void. He called on the Interim Chair to announce this publicly.