Yameen asked to nominate leadership member as PNC 'alternate' candidate
The former president asked the leadership to send in suggestions for PNC's presidential candidate and running mate.
Main opposition PPM-PNC on Monday asked their jailed leader Abdulla Yameen to pick a "backup candidate" among the coalition's leadership, after the former president asked the leadership to send in suggestions for PNC's presidential candidate and running mate.
PPM-PNC leadership met Monday afternoon, hours after Yameen asked them to send in their suggestions to nominate an alternate candidate from PNC in case Yameen's nomination as the PPM candidate is rejected by the Elections Commission (EC) and later by the Supreme Court over his 11-year jail sentence.
The leadership decided to recommend Yameen to make his choice, but from among the leadership members of the PPM-PNC coalition.
"It has been suggested that the two appointees appointed by President Yameen should be part of the leadership of both the parties [PPM and PNC]," a senior PPM-PNC official familiar with the meeting told Atoll Times.
The leadership members of both the parties include:
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PNC President Abdul Raheem Abdulla
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Vice presidents of both the parties
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MPs representing both the parties
Regarding a candidate to be fielded in the name of PNC, the leadership and most senate members support two:
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PPM vice president, Male mayor Dr Mohamed Muizz
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PPM vice president, Th. Guraidhoo MP Ghassan Maumoon
Last week, Yameen asked the leadership to send in their suggestions for his running mate, but the leadership decided to give the discretion to him.
Yameen on Sunday chose former vice president Dr Mohamed Jameel Ahmed as his running mate.
Nominations for the September 9 presidential election are being accepted from 9am Sunday to 2pm on August 7 from the election headquarters at Dharubaaruge.
The opposition PPM-PNC has handed over their presidential ticket to Yameen.
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Yameen was sentenced to 11 years in jail on December 25 for money laundering and accepting a bribe over the leasing of V. Aarah for tourism as part of the MMPRC corruption scandal
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The verdict has been appealed in the High Court but the appeal hearings have stalled as several judges are on leave
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Criminal Court is hearing two additional charges against him linked to the MMPRC corruption scandal