President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has said that the ruling People’s National Congress (PNC) will not face any division following the conclusion of its internal elections, and that members should remain united as one party.
The President made the remarks while speaking at a special ceremony held at the Social Centre last night to officially inaugurate the PNC’s Congress, the party’s highest governing body.
Speaking at the event, President Muizzu said that in any election, at any level, there will be both winners and those who are unsuccessful. He said that after an election, those who do not succeed should congratulate those who win, work together and move forward in unity, describing this as one of the strongest examples of demonstrating democracy.
President Dr Muizzu further said that all members of the party are working by putting the nation first, with sincere intentions and strong determination. He stressed that setting a positive example for young people is essential to guiding the country towards a better future, and urged members to conclude the Congress proceedings with unity.
More than 1,300 delegates from Malé and various atolls are participating in the Congress, which will continue until the end of Thursday. Voting to elect members to the party’s various positions will take place tomorrow.
The election has seen significant competition for the party’s senior positions, with eight candidates contesting six posts for the position of Deputy President.
The eight candidates are:
Parliamentarian Asmaa Rasheed
Chief Government Spokesperson Mohamed Hussain Shareef (Mundhu)
Minister of Sports Abdulla Rauf
Minister of Fisheries Ahmed Shiyam
Parliamentarian Ibrahim Shujaau
Parliamentarian Fathimath Sauda
Local Government Authority (LGA) CEO Mohamed Nimal
Minister of Economic Development Mohamed Saeed
In addition, 22 candidates are contesting 10 positions reserved for women members of the Congress Majlis, while 13 candidates are competing for seven positions allocated to youth members.
A further 73 candidates are contesting 18 positions for ordinary members. According to the PNC, candidates have been nominated for nine constituency positions in numbers corresponding to the number of members to be elected, meaning those positions will not require a contested election.
