Founder of Maldives National Party (MNP) and former Defense Miniser, Mohamed Nazim has been elected as the party's President without voting.
MNP opened application for those interested in running for seats on its interim Executive Council, and the deadline for submission expired on Sunday. No other candidates other than Nazim had applied for the President post by the end of the deadline. As per the party's Charter, if any candidate is running uncontested for a post, they will be automatically elected to the post. Therefore, Nazim has been automatically elected for the post.
In addition to Nazim, four out of the party's six vice presidents have been automatically elected in this manner. The party elects five vice presidents from five constituencies and an additional vice president from among women. In this regard, Ahmed Shareef has been elected to South constituency while Thimarafushi MP Abdulla Riyaz has been elected to South Central constituency. Villimale MP Ahmed Usham was elected to Central constituency and Hussain Ismail was elected to North constituency.
Three candidates will be competing for the Upper North constituency Vice President slot. They are former Gender Minister, Shidhatha Shareef, former TV presenter Ahmed Anoosh and Mohamed Saeed. Mirfath Ismail Shafeeq and Aishath Hussain Manik are contesting for the Vice President seat designated for women. Three candidates are contesting for the Youth Wing Leader position.
The Elections Commission gave permission to form MNP as a political party in July this year. MNP submitted over 5,000 membership registration forms and requested to register the party on September 15. On September 28, EC gave the green light to hold the party's inaugural congress after verifying that majority of the membership forms were valid. If the inaugural congress is carried out according to the regulations, the party will be formally registered as a political party.
The first session of MNP's inaugural congress will be held from 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm on Friday, while the second session will begin at 9:00 pm. The party's name, logo, flag, color as well as the party's charters will be finalized at the congress. Members will also be appointed to the party's interim executive council.
