Maldives' electoral watchdog on Sunday refused to recognize the new leadership of the ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) after rejecting the party's congress which elected outgoing president Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom as the new party leader.
PPM had claimed that president Yameen who suffered a rather embarrassing defeat to the opposition alliance candidate Ibrahim Mohamed Solih in last month's presidential elections was voted in as the new leader unanimously by congress members earlier this month.
However, the members of the Elections Commission had refused to endorse the congress citing procedural violations.
Explaining the decision, EC member and spokesperson Ahmed Akram said the commission's observers had found several violations of the PPM charter during the congress.
Akram said PPM had failed to publicize details of its members eligible to vote in the congress.
"There are certain procedures and protocols a party must follow for a congress. A party cannot hold a congress in violation of its charter. The charter must be followed. No party can allow non-party members to vote in a congress. PPM charter clearly states that all members participating in the congress must be publicized before hand. Also all members contesting for party positions must be a member for a certain period of time. So with such violations, we cannot endorse the last PPM congress and recognize its new leadership," Akram explained.
The commission's decision means that president Yameen's election as the party leader would be void.
The party's last congress was held in 2013 to elect former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom as the party president. Gayoom however was unceremoniously ousted from the party after falling-out with his half brother Yameen and has since been jailed over the alleged plot to overthrow the government in February.
The Civil Court in 2016 found Gayoom guilty of violating the constitution, party charter and the political party law and handed-over party control to president Yameen.
