Ghafoor says primary defeats won't divide MDP

Interim chairperson of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), Abdul Ghafoor Moosa, said on Saturday that differences of opinion within the party would not lead members to leave following defeats in party primaries.

Speaking at a press conference after the MDP primary held on Friday to select candidates for the upcoming local council elections, Ghafoor said the process concluded in an orderly manner despite competitive campaigns. He said there were no complaints regarding the conduct of the vote and described the primary as one conducted in a cooperative manner among candidates.

Ghafoor said the primary reflected the MDP’s organisational capacity and public engagement. He noted that voter participation took place during a period when many members were travelling abroad due to school holidays. He added that electoral participation and engagement were necessary in both internal party processes and national elections.

He said no party member would distance themselves from the MDP ahead of the council elections and stressed the need for unity. Ghafoor said the party accepted both victory and defeat and that candidates who did not succeed in the primaries would continue to work within the party structure.

He said that while disagreements may arise within the party, they did not amount to divisions, and expressed confidence that unity would lead to success in the upcoming elections.

A total of 66 ballot boxes were used in the MDP primary, with 31 polling stations in Malé and 34 in other islands. A total of 123 candidates contested the primary.

The MDP has faced internal divisions since forming the government in 2018. These disputes contributed to setbacks in subsequent elections.

Differences within the party intensified after former President Mohamed Nasheed lost the MDP presidential primary ahead of the 2023 election. Following the dispute, Nasheed and several supporters, including Ali Azim, left the party and formed The Democrats, which fielded a candidate in the presidential election.

Nasheed announced his retirement from politics in December 2023, citing dissatisfaction with his political experience. He rejoined the MDP in June last year, along with senior members and supporters of The Democrats.

Former MDP chairperson Fayyaz Ismail resigned in November last year, citing internal disputes. Following his resignation, differences between former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih and Nasheed became public. Despite this, both leaders said after meetings held last month that efforts were being made to maintain unity ahead of the council elections.