Maldives (Commonwealth Union)_ The Supreme Court of the Maldives rendered a decisive verdict, precluding the imprisoned former president, Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom, from contesting in the forthcoming presidential election slated for the next month. Yameen presently serves an extended 11-year custodial term due to his conviction on charges of corruption and money laundering. This verdict from the apex court significantly diminishes the political prospects of Yameen’s Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM), which had previously endorsed Yameen as their prime nominee prior to his legal conviction.
In accordance with a communiqué disseminated by close sources, the PPM had refrained from presenting an alternate candidate, hoping that Yameen could run for election while in detention upon a successful appeal to the apex court. In the preceding week, the PPM protested the Election Commission’s rejection of Yameen’s candidacy due to his confinement, contending that the commission had misunderstood the constitutional prerequisites mandated for prospective presidential nominees.
According to top media sources, Justice Husnu Al Suood rendered a ruling affirming the election body’s determination that Gayoom’s ineligibility, based on his failure to fulfill the stipulations outlined under Article 109, stands as the correct judgment. The ruling stated, “Gayoom is ineligible as he doesn’t meet the conditions stipulated under Article 109 is the correct decision.” During his tenure as the nation’s president, Yameen imprisoned or exiled political figures perceived as antagonistic to his dominion. Following his defeat in the 2018 election, he attempted to retain his incumbency but was eventually compelled to resign under the prospect of sanctions from the United States.
Meanwhile, President Mohamed Solih, who ascended to the presidency in 2018 after triumphing over Yameen, now aspires for a second term, despite the splintering of his Maldivian Democratic Party in June following a public dispute with another former president, Mohamed Nasheed. The PPM, originally intended to pose a substantial challenge to Solih’s candidacy, may now, as conveyed by a discrete source, potentially advocate for an alternate nominee. The original deadline for submitting nominations for the presidential election was also extended by four days.
