PPM council formally approves President Yameen's re-election bid

Ruling Progressive Party of Maldives’ (PPM) council Tuesday night formally decided that the party’s presidential candidate for the upcoming election will be incumbent President Abdulla Yameen.

Speaking to the press after the council meeting, the party’s deputy leader and Fonadhoo MP Abdul Raheem Abdullah said that the council’s decision to hand over the presidential ticket to President Yameen was unanimous.

Section 69 of PPM’s charter allows the outgoing president to seek re-election on behalf of the party, provided there are no objections from the party council. Therefore, the decision was made in line with the party’s regulations, MP Abdul Raheem noted.

MP Abdul Raheem said that re-electing President Yameen in the presidential election slated for September, was crucial in order to carry out the development projects instigated by his administration, as well as to maintain public harmony and stability.

He said that PPM’s council also agreed that more time should be allowed for the president to carry out these development projects.

“Another reason we decided to give the party’s presidential ticket to President Yameen is because he consistently, at any address that he makes, guarantees the public that he would not allow any other religion except Islam to be established in this country. His actions are testimonial to this, too. And [the president] is very determined to maintain the country’s sovereignty, and he has already done so much to safeguard it,” PPM’s deputy leader said, praising the president.

Even though PPM’s council formally decided that its presidential candidate will be President Yameen on Tuesday, he had begun campaigning for his re-election bid for a second term, towards the end of last year. PPM had even inaugurated the president’s official campaign office in the capital Male late last year.

In January, when questions were raised whether PPM would hold a primary to elect its presidential candidate, the party had claimed that President Yameen “deserves” to run for presidency again because he has “proven beyond doubt” that he is a very capable president.