"PPM's presidential candidate will be ex-pres Yameen"

The Vice-president of Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM) Ghassan Maumoom has stated that the candidate who will be contesting on behalf of PPM in the presidential election of the year 2023 will the former President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Qayyoom.

Ghassan is the youngest son of former President Maumoon Abdul Qayyoom and nephew of jailed former president Yameen Abdul Qayyoom.

Ghassan’s statement was about a news article that was published stating that he will be contesting in the next presidential election and will be the next President of the Maldives. The article was based on an online opinion poll on twitter.

However, Ghassan said PPM’s presidential candidate is President Yameen Abdul Qayyoom.

“PPM’s presidential candidate for the year 2023 is President Yameen Abdul Qayyoom. That is what we have decided in the party’s council, and I wanted to clarify it,” said Ghassan referring to the opinion poll.

Although the opposition Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM), and People’s National Congress (PNC) have decided their presidential candidate will be President Yameen Abdul Qayyoom, he is serving 5-year imprisonment over a case of money laundering. Recently two additional charges have been made against President Yameen over corruption and bribing. Thus, it is unlikely he will be able to contend in the next election. However, the opposition coalition and President Yameen’s legal team is confident that he will be freed before the election of 2023.