The inaugural congress of People’s National Front (PNF) has been held, despite obstructions from the government.

Although the gathering was initially scheduled to be held at Ghiyasuddin School, it was later changed to the Newport View region, after the government obstructed the congress.

The location was changed after officers of the Maldives Police Service (MPS) reached the school and closed it, obstructing members from entering.

The government, through the Ministry of Education, instructed the police institution to halt the meeting, as it cannot be held at the school. Officers were instructed to close the school gates to prevent anyone from entering the premises.

The police also obstructed officials of the Elections Commission of Maldives (EC) from entering Ghiyasuddin School, where the meeting was scheduled to be held.

Officers are reported to have used pepper spray on PNF members, and cordoned off the area.

After that, PNF members sought approval to hold the congress at another region. The congress was attended by former president Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom’s spouse, Fathmath Ibrahim.

420 members attended the meeting, where the party’s color, logo, address and seal were unveiled. The basic rules of the party were also approved.

A temporary senate was also elected, until the party’s permanent senate is elected.

Members have also been appointed to permanent positions temporarily, until a final appointment is made.

The party’s temporary senates are ex-president Yameen, son of ex-president Yameen Zane Abdulla Yameen, Dr. Mohamed Jameel Ahmed, Mohamed Maleeh Jamaal, Mohamed Shaweed, Dr. Jihad Hassan, Hussain Waheed, Ahmed Mustafa Mohamed, Ahmed Fayaz, Ali Shiyan Rashid, Abdulla Hussain, Adhli Ismail, Aneesa Saeed, Fathmath Rahuma and other close associates of Yameen.

Until individuals are elected to the permanent posts, four posts have been filled temporarily, including Zane as the party’s president, Maleeh as the Secretary General, Mustafa as the treasurer and Shiyan as the registrar.

Although PNF earlier confirmed that Yameen would attend, he did not attend the congress

The party is an initiative of ex-president Yameen and the inaugural congress was initially scheduled for Monday evening.

However, the congress was pushed back to 9:15pm, April 9, due to the lack of support from relevant government institutions.

Speaking to RaajjeMV about the delay in holding their inaugural gathering, PNF’s leader and former technology minister Mohamed Maleeh Jamaal asserted that they “cannot be stopped”, and that former president Yameen will attend the gathering.

The Elections Commission of Maldives (EC) accepted the 3,000 membership forms submitted to form the party and gave the green light to hold its inaugural gathering, on April 4.

The approval was given to Zane.

Yameen stepped down as the leader of the now-ruling coalition, less than a week after the leadership of Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) and People’s National Congress (PNC) took over.

EC granted approval for the ex-president to form his own party, back on 29 November 2023.

Yameen was sentenced to 11 years behind bars back in December 2022.

However, he was transferred to house arrest near the end of former president Ibrahim Mohamed Solih’s presidential term.

Since then, Yameen has been actively participating in political activities.