Abdul Kareem Abdullah, the brother of ruling PNC Chairman and Parliament Speaker Abdul Raheem Abdullah, is contesting as an independent candidate for the Laamu Fonadhoo council president seat in the upcoming Local Council Elections.
The PNC has fielded Ahmed Riyaz for the seat. Riyaz has served as Fonadhoo council president for the past three terms.
Kareem, who is blind, told Sun on Sunday that he had written to the Election Commission (EC) to clarify whether he was eligible to contest. He said the EC informed him that there were no legal barriers preventing him from running for the post.
“I have received love and respect from the people since childhood in the community I grew up in. So I told myself to take courage and step up,” Kareem said.
He confirmed that his candidacy has now been formally accepted and that he has launched his campaign.
Kareem currently serves as an imam at a mosque in Fonadhoo, a position he has held for 19 years. He said he will be suspended from his post and has notified the Civil Service Commission of this.
Fonadhoo has traditionally elected candidates from political parties, and no independent candidate has ever won the council presidency. Despite this, Kareem said he is hopeful of securing the seat this year.
Nominations for the local council and Women’s Development Committee (WDC) elections closed at 17:30 on Sunday. The elections are scheduled for April 4.