PPM-PNC leadership to appeal to Yameen against election boycott

The opposition leadership on Sunday decided to hold further discussions with former President Abdulla Yameen regarding his message to his followers to boycott the presidential election.

The Supreme Court on Sunday upheld the Elections Commission's rejection of Yameen's candidacy. With that, he ordered a boycott of the election, the PPM-PNC senate decided to contest the election "for Yameen's sake", even if contrary to his wishes.

Yameen has informed the leadership on Sunday evening that he does not accept the senate vote. He made the announcement in a phone call through his wife Fatimath Ibrahim.

The PPM-PNC leadership met at the PPM-PNC office at 9:30pm on Sunday.

“The leadership meeting decided to hold further talks with President Yameen to contest the presidential election,” a senior PPM-PNC official told Atoll Times on condition of anonymity.

He said the spirit of the general members of both parties was to nominate a candidate from the PPM-PNC without boycotting the election. Therefore, the leadership wants to talk to Yameen further in this regard, the senior official said.

Another leadership member told Atoll Times that this is a very sensitive moment for Yameen with the Supreme Court verdict. Many in the leadership do not believe that a boycott will solve the whole issue, he added.

"Hopefully this party won't end up on the streets," he said.

The leadership has decided to speak to Yameen, but Atoll Times has learned that the PNC presidential candidate, Male Mayor Dr Mohamed Muizz's candidacy for will be submitted to the Elections Commission on Monday.

Atoll Times has learned that after Sunday's senate meeting, the leadership held an evening meeting to discuss the submission of Muizz's candidacy form early Monday morning. The PPM has also discussed supporting Muizz's candidacy.

The deadline for nominations is 2 pm Monday.