The two main opposition parties, Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) and People’s National Congress (PNC), have awarded the ticket for next year’s Presidential elections to former President Abdullah Yameen Abdul Gayoom.
A joint council had convened on Sunday evening and reached to the decision.
President Yameen has accepted the ticket as well.
This is President Yameen’s third time contesting on the Party’s ticket for Presidency. In his first run in 2013, he won the election. His re-election bid in 2018 was unsuccessful.
The Party’s decision came at a time when President Yameen faces multiple court cases. He was jailed in 2019 on graft charges. However, a Supreme Court review had overturned that ruling, and soon after, he was released.