Yameen’s son named as founder of his new party, PNF

Former President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom has decided to register his new party, the People’s National Front (PNF) under the names of eight people, with his son, Zain Abdulla Yameen as the main founding member.

On Thursday, Yameen left the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) – a party he led for years – after the conflict within the PPM-PNC coalition boiled over, just short of a week into President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu’s administration.

Yameen’s aides went to the Elections Commission (EC) to discuss the formation of the new party on Sunday.

The former president has decided to name eight people as founding members of the party; he himself, his son Zain, former vice president Dr. Mohamed Jameel Ahmed, former commissioner of police Hussain Waheed, former chief of staff Ahmed Mustafa, Adlee Ismail, former vice president Dr. Abdulla Jihad, and Ali Adam.

However, the EC’s regulations allow for only one founder to be listed. They therefore decided to pick Zain as the founder.

Speaking to press outside the EC’s headquarters in Male’ on Sunday, Mohamed Maleeh Jamal, a former science minister and a close aide to Yameen, said their goal is to become the most quickly formed political party in the Maldives.

He said that they will begin gathering the minimum 3,000 membership forms required by law as soon as they receive permission from the commission.

“We will, In Sha Allah, break the record for the formation of political parties in the Maldives,” he said.

Maleeh said the PNF plans on contesting the upcoming Male’ Mayor election, and the parliamentary elections next year.

He expressed confidence in a successful parliamentary campaign.

Maleeh said the party will file for permission as soon as it finishes criminal record clearance and other administrative formalities.