Irate supporters of the ruling People’s National Congress (PNC) in Thaa Thimarafushi protested on Thursday over an attempt to open the PNC meeting hall on the island as a campaign hall of Ahmed Riyaz, an independent candidate endorsed by President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu after sidelining the PNC candidate for the constituency.
Ibrahim Sanah (Santo), who won the PNC’s primary in January to secure the party’s ticket, had been among the first to work within the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) to seek the presidential ticket for Muizzu. During the campaign, Sanah served as Muizzu’s personal assistant.
However, President Muizzu now supports current Thimarafushi MP Abdulla Riyaz’s brother Ahmed Riyaz. He is contesting as an independent but has been campaigning as a government candidate. However, Riyaz did not contest in the PPM-PNC primary.
On Thursday, Fisheries Minister Ahmed Shiyam and Health Minister Dr. Abdulla Khaleel went to Thimarafushi to canvass support for Riyaz.
However, PNC ticket-holder Sanah and his supporters protested against opening the PNC hall as Riyaz’s hall and holding rallies there. The protest was led by Sanah.
“The PNC hall was opened during the presidential election. Someone else’s activity cannot be held there in the name of the government candidate. I am the candidate chosen by members as the candidate of the ruling party. That’s why we protested against it,” Sanah said.
Sanah characterized trying to open the meeting hall with the PNC’s collar and logo as the campaign hall of an independent candidate as an infringement of his electoral rights by the party’s leadership.
“When we protested and opposed it, the rally was held at a building owned by Abdulla Riyaz,” Sanah said.
As the dispute worsened in Thimarafushi, Sanah’s posters were put up inside and outside the island’s PNC meeting hall, which had been opened to campaign for President Muizzu during the last presidential election.
Thimarafushi is not the first constituency where President Muizzu decided to support a candidate other than the winner of the PNC primary.
The candidates endorsed by the President include former MP Anara Naeem, who lost the primary for the Huraa constituency, and Aminath Miyadha, who lost the primary for the Galolhu Uthuru constituency. PNC candidates are contesting in both constituencies.
President Muizzu has also supported two MPs who recently switched to the PNC. Top government officials have been campaigning for Mathiveri MP Hassan Zareer and Kurendhoo MP Abdul Ghani Abdul Hakeem despite candidates with the PNC ticket in both constituencies.
Despite the President's support for independent candidates against PNC candidates, the PNC's statutes clearly detail the responsibilities of party members.
titledesc
The statutes make it obligatory for members of the PNC to seek support and vote for candidates contesting general elections on the party's ticket. There are also ways to take action if a member violates the statutes.
The failure to perform the duties of members as stipulated in the statutes is something that can cause disciplinary action.
titledesc
Among the measures to be taken against those who violate the party's statutes include;
- issue warning
- suspension from party post
- withhold the right to contest in party elections for a certain period of time
- suspension from party activities
- expulsion from the party
In addition to these measures, the Members' Affairs Committee also has the power to take other disciplinary action.
The statutes do not distinguish between senior party leaders and ordinary members.
