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Mohamed Latheef, a founding member of the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), was on Sunday elected unopposed as temporary chairperson of the party.
Nominations opened on Monday for the party’s presidential candidate and for a new permanent chairperson, following the resignation of Mohamed Nasheed (Anni) from the post.
Meanwhile Latheef mooted the idea of an MDP presidential candidate accompanied by a running mate from another political party, as a way to unite opposition groups ahead of this year’s planned presidential elections.
Buildup To Primary
The party will hold several National Council meetings in the upcoming weeks to determine how it should deal with issues such as running mates and public forums for the unprecedented presidential primary, which will take place on 25 April.
Anni and party president Dr Mohamed Munavvar have already declared themselves as prospective candidates. Nominations close on 3 March.
Meanwhile secretary general Hamid Abdul Ghafoor says the MDP is also in continuing “informal talks” with other members of the National Unity Alliance of opposition groups, to arrive at a “mechanism” for producing a joint candidate.
Latheef said his priority as temporary chair would be to “ensure all party apparatus is geared so [the primary] would be a free and fair election”.
Questioned on the short timeframe remaining before elections, which in accordance with the constitution currently in force must take place by November, he acknowledged: “It’s a very short period, and that is going to act against the MDP candidate or the Alliance candidate if there is one.”
The incumbent President of the Maldives, Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, has indicated he will stand on the ruling Dhivehi Raiyyithunge Party (DRP)’s ticket, meaning the DRP is unlikely to hold a parallel primary.
Pluralism
Latheef added that he will also seek to establish “a definite structure so that the [party’s] president and chairperson work within the regulations, [to] ensure that one doesn’t encroach on the rights and responsibilities of the other.”
Asked whether he was referring to specific tensions, he would say only that the party is in a “transitional form.”
Media outlets including the website Maaloafaanu have argued the contest between Munavvar and Anni for the presidential nomination indicates a deeper split within the MDP.
But Hamid argues the primary is a sign of a healthy “pluralism”, and that a “fair play agreement” has been proposed for all nominees. Anni and Munavvar have both pledged to support whoever wins.
“I think we are pioneering these ideas,” Hamid added. “Our party members will learn that the idea is to contest within the party, and whoever wins, we will get behind that person.”
Founder Member
Latheef helped to found the MDP in exile in Sri Lanka in 2003, along with Anni, Ahmed Mausoom, Ahmed Shafeeg Moosa and others.
But he has been less in evidence in the party in recent years, and says he has been working on “civil society empowerment projects”. He adds that he has no desire to take up the chairperson’s post permanently.
Mohamed Latheef, a founding member of the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), was on Sunday elected unopposed as temporary chairperson of the party.
Nominations opened on Monday for the party’s presidential candidate and for a new permanent chairperson, following the resignation of Mohamed Nasheed (Anni) from the post.
Meanwhile Latheef mooted the idea of an MDP presidential candidate accompanied by a running mate from another political party, as a way to unite opposition groups ahead of this year’s planned presidential elections.
Buildup To Primary
The party will hold several National Council meetings in the upcoming weeks to determine how it should deal with issues such as running mates and public forums for the unprecedented presidential primary, which will take place on 25 April.
Anni and party president Dr Mohamed Munavvar have already declared themselves as prospective candidates. Nominations close on 3 March.
Meanwhile secretary general Hamid Abdul Ghafoor says the MDP is also in continuing “informal talks” with other members of the National Unity Alliance of opposition groups, to arrive at a “mechanism” for producing a joint candidate.
Latheef said his priority as temporary chair would be to “ensure all party apparatus is geared so [the primary] would be a free and fair election”.
Questioned on the short timeframe remaining before elections, which in accordance with the constitution currently in force must take place by November, he acknowledged: “It’s a very short period, and that is going to act against the MDP candidate or the Alliance candidate if there is one.”
The incumbent President of the Maldives, Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, has indicated he will stand on the ruling Dhivehi Raiyyithunge Party (DRP)’s ticket, meaning the DRP is unlikely to hold a parallel primary.
Pluralism
Latheef added that he will also seek to establish “a definite structure so that the [party’s] president and chairperson work within the regulations, [to] ensure that one doesn’t encroach on the rights and responsibilities of the other.”
Asked whether he was referring to specific tensions, he would say only that the party is in a “transitional form.”
Media outlets including the website Maaloafaanu have argued the contest between Munavvar and Anni for the presidential nomination indicates a deeper split within the MDP.
But Hamid argues the primary is a sign of a healthy “pluralism”, and that a “fair play agreement” has been proposed for all nominees. Anni and Munavvar have both pledged to support whoever wins.
“I think we are pioneering these ideas,” Hamid added. “Our party members will learn that the idea is to contest within the party, and whoever wins, we will get behind that person.”
Founder Member
Latheef helped to found the MDP in exile in Sri Lanka in 2003, along with Anni, Ahmed Mausoom, Ahmed Shafeeg Moosa and others.
But he has been less in evidence in the party in recent years, and says he has been working on “civil society empowerment projects”. He adds that he has no desire to take up the chairperson’s post permanently.
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