Amendment bars opportunity for challengers against Imran for Adhaalath Party’s presidency

The Maldives Journal has learned that the Adhalath Party a member of the ruling coalition is trying to amend the party’s constitution with a clause that effectively bars challengers against the party’s current President and Minister of Home Affairs Imran Abdulla for the party’s presidency.

According to credible sources, anyone running for the posts of President and Vice President of the party should be a member of the party’s internal committees for a period of 2 consecutive years. Members are elected to the internal committees via a vote taken at the party’s general assembly held every 5 years. However, the general assembly has not been convened recently.

The party’s general assembly is scheduled to be held in February 2021. However, the incumbent members of the party’s internal committees have been elected to their positions a long time back.

Although several members of the party have announced their interest to apply for the leadership election, if the amendment is passed, it will effectively bar them from challenging in the election. Minister Imran is the sole individual with the intent to run for the party’s presidency among the incumbent members of the committees. Imran has been the party’s leader for the past 9 years.

Adhaalath Party’s official Twitter account has tweeted that no amendments have been proposed to the party’s constitution. However, an individual with inside knowledge has stated that the statement was false.