Meekail against postponing chairperson election: Dates mustn't be altered to benefit certain people

South Galolhu MP Meekail Ahmed Naseem who is contesting for main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP)’s chairpersonship, has expressed strong opposition to ongoing efforts to delay the internal election citing such a move would be unacceptable to the party’s membership and thereby, has called for election to proceed as previously scheduled.

Meekail’s remarks via a post on X come in response to a proposal by interim Chairperson Abdul Ghafoor Moosa (Gapo) to postpone the election citing non-receipt of government funds and concerns that internal rivalry at this time could undermine efforts to effectively hold the government accountable.

"Regarding the chairperson election and the constituency elections, my recommendation is to hold them following the presidential primary. If these two elections are held now, it could jeopardize the party's internal stability, thereby impeding our efforts to hold the government accountable," Ghafoor said in a message to MDP National Council’s WhatsApp group.

Ghafoor further noted that the party has yet to receive any of the funds allocated by the government for the current year. As a result, he emphasized that the party presently lacks the financial capacity to sustain its operations or conduct an election.

He also called upon senior party members—excluding himself—to engage in discussions on the party’s administrative direction and to present their proposal to the National Council.

In response, Meekail argued that the election must proceed according to the timeline previously announced by the party. He cautioned against altering election dates to benefit particular individuals and urged adherence to decisions made by the relevant party committees.

"The attempt to delay the party's Chairperson election is something neither I nor any member of this party will accept. The election must proceed in accordance with the schedule announced by the party," Meekail emphasized.

He further argued that there is no valid justification for postponement, noting that he and his team are fully prepared for the election. The issue has reportedly generated considerable debate and differing perspectives among the party’s broader membership.

Meekail, who is contesting the leadership role against former President Mohamed Nasheed, is running an active campaign under the slogan "Ithubaaru", with substantial support from members of MDP’s parliamentary.

Meanwhile, following Gapo’s proposal, Nasheed has expressed readiness to assume the role of interim Chairperson, provided he has the backing of the party's National Council.