The PPM has appointed campaign managers for its presidential candidate, party leader Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayyoom.
The newly appointed campaign managers and deputy campaign managers were handed over their letters of appointment at a special ceremony held at the PPM office on Wednesday night. While Mohamed Ameen (Captain Ameen) was appointed as the Campaign Manager, former Health Minister Abdulla Nazim was appointed as the Deputy Campaign Manager.
During Yameen's presidency, Captain Ameen was the Director of Flight Operations of Island Aviation Services Limited (IAS), which operates the national airline Maldivian. However, President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih's government removed him from the post in June 2019 and demoted him to a lower position. He was later terminated in October of the same year, citing absences. Ameen challenged the termination at the Civil Court, and the court ruled that he was wrongfully terminated and ordered him to be reinstated. IAS appealed the decision at the High Court, which ordered a stay on reinstating him until the court reached a decision.
The appointment of campaign managers comes while it remains unclear whether President Yameen can contest the September election. In November last year, Yameen was jailed on an 11-year sentence for money laundering and bribery, two months after the PPM officially handed over its presidential ticket to Yameen. He cannot contest the election unless a higher court quashes the Criminal Court verdict.
