Former State Minister for Environment Abdul Matheen rejoined opposition Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) on Monday, and was designated Secretary General of PPM.
Matheen signed to PPM during an emergency council meeting after a brief membership at the People’s National Congress (PNC), and was promptly appointed to PPM's council. Matheen resigned from PNC before rejoining PPM.
It was feared that PPM’s quota for the council meeting would not be met, in lieu of PPM members defecting from the party and joining the newly formed PNC.
Matheen presented his membership application to former President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom.
The previous Secretary-General of PPM, Mohamed Hussain Shareef, recently switched political allegiances to PNC.
There is an ongoing legal dispute regarding PPM's leadership with the Supreme Court recently holding a preliminary hearing. The case, which seeks to hand over PPM's leadership from Yameen to his estranged half-brother and former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, was filed at the Civil Court by a civilian member of the party.
Maumoon announced his decision to intervene in the legal dispute on Monday.
Former President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom and key PPM leaders such as Fonadhoo MP Abdul Raheem decided to form PNC due to the long delay in the PPM leadership dispute. The Elections Commission (EC) authorized the formation of PNC last December.
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