Former President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom on Tuesday confirmed that efforts are underway to form a new political party.
Speaking at the ceremony held to award electoral tickets to the candidates of opposition Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) contesting for 13 seats in parliament, Yameen shared that the new party is being formed by a handful of trustworthy PPM members.
Elaborating on reasons behind their decision to form a new political party, Yameen noted the long delay in the case of PPM's disputed leadership, which has been filed at the Supreme Court. He called on the apex court to expedite the case.
He further assured that PPM's work will also continue despite efforts to form the new party. While Yameen invited members of PPM to join him in the new party, he also requested them to return to PPM should the Supreme Court ultimately rule in his favour, which would render the new party obsolete.
The case requesting to hand over PPM's leadership from Yameen to the party's previous leader, former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, was recently filed at the Civil Court by two general members of PPM. However, the lower court took the case to Supreme Court following a complaint filed at the apex court.
The PPM members in charge of creating the new party were anonymously cited in local media Mihaaru, which reported that options for the new party's name include People's Progressive Party (PPP), People's Alliance Party (PAP), National Front (NF), and People's National Congress (PNC). The members stated that the formation of the new party will be submitted to the Elections Commission as soon as the name was finalised.