Serious allegations have surfaced of President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu fielding candidates for the upcoming parliamentary elections against candidates who were formally awarded tickets of the ruling Progressive Party of Maldives-People's National Congress (PPM-PNC) coalition.
Adhadhu reported in recent days about the PNC candidates for the Gadhdhoo and Thimarafushi constituencies being sidelined and senior government officials campaigning for other candidates that they claimed to have been endorsed by the President.
At President Muizzu’s request, other candidates will compete in a total of 11 constituencies against ruling coalition candidates, various sources who spoke to Adhadhu confirmed.
The sources include persons with ties to the government and candidates who secured PNC tickets. Adhadhu has obtained a list of people who will contest as “the President’s candidates.”
Despite talk getting louder of the government fielding independent candidates against coalition candidates, the government has not denied it so far. The PNC chairperson, President Muizzu’s senior minister, did not respond to questions from Adhadhu on the issue.
According to the sources, “the President’s candidate” against the PNC candidate for the Machchangoalhi Medhu constituency, Abdul Gadhir, will be Male’ city councillor Ahmed Zameer. Adhadhu has confirmed that he will contest as an independent candidate.
Azim Abdul Azeez, who lost the primary for the Villingili constituency, will contest as “the President’s candidate” against coalition candidate Yazmeed Mohamed, who won the PNC ticket with 577 votes against Yazmeed’s 485 votes. Azim has confirmed that he will contest as an independent candidate for Parliament.
Maradhoo MP Ibrahim Shareef (Mavota) will contest as “the President’s candidate” for the Maradhoo constituency, according to the list obtained by Adhadhu.
Shareef told Adhadhu that he has not yet made a decision on contesting. But he confirmed receiving an unofficial call from the PNC about contesting in the election.
Mathiveri MP Hassan Zareer will also contest for his constituency as “the President’s candidate,” Adhadhu has learned. Zareer, who recently left the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) to join the PNC, could not be reached for comment. But his name was on the list.
In the PNC primary on January 27, Mohamed Shafeeq (Maha) won the Gadhdhoo constituency's Majlis ticket. However, Mohamed Ali, a relative of Education Minister Dr. Ismail Shafeeu, has been fielded against him as “the President’s candidate.” Two ministers visited Gadhdhoo to campaign for him last weekend.
In the Thimarafushi constituency, President Muizzu supports Thimarafushi MP Abdulla Riyaz’s brother Ahmed Riyaz instead of the Progressive Congress Coalition's candidate. During the President’s visit to Thaa atoll last week, two of his closest ministers assured that Ahmed Riyaz was the “the President’s candidate.”
After the PNC primary, President Muizzu personally met some of the other candidates and asked them to run, Adhadhu has confirmed. Adhadhu understands that he met some of them at the President’s Office and directly gave assurances of his support.
