MUO holds elections workshop in Baa atoll

The Maldives United Opposition (MUO) has on Saturday conducted a special workshop in Baa atoll Dharavandhoo Island as part of the ongoing campaign to demand a free and fair elections.

On Saturday morning, the workshop was held at the island council office with the participation of opposition candidates who are running for the council seats in Baa atoll.

Amongst the senior opposition leaders that took part in the workshop are deputy chairperson of Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) Ali Niyaz, lawyer Hassan Latheef and Dr. Mustafa Lutfi.

MUO stated that discussions were held during the workshop on ways to press for free and fair elections and on ways to raise support for candidates of the opposition.

The joint opposition movement is currently on a tour of Baa atoll and a demonstration was held in the streets of Dharavandhoo Island on Friday night.

Members of the main opposition MDP and MUO took part in the demonstration along with opposition supporters in the island.

Later on Friday night, a large gathering was held in Dharavandhoo Island where senior opposition leaders addressed the people.

Whilst the MUO campaigns for the local council elections, the elections scheduled for January were delayed by two-months with an order from the Civil Court.

The order on the Elections Commission came following a request by the ‘Yameen faction’ of the now-divided ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM).

‘Yameen faction’ sought to delay the elections, claiming that PPM had been unable to prepare due to operational difficulties in running the party.

In 2016, the ruling party was divided into two factions over party leadership – one faction which supports President Abdulla Yameen and the other which supports his half-brother and party leader former President Maumoon Abdul Gayyoom.

Following the order to delay the elections, the Elections Commission appealed the matter at the High Court, but the case was later rejected due to “incomplete documents.”

Meanwhile, the Elections Commission last week announced that a new date for the local council elections would be declared on Sunday.