Umar appointed to PPM Council

Former Minister of Home Affairs Umar Naseer – who has been outspoken against President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom in recent weeks – has been appointed to the Council of ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM).

Umar Naseer was appointed to PPM Council this Saturday by Leader of PPM, former Maldivian President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom amid clashes within PPM between Maumoon and Yameen loyalists.

Umar will be filling one of the two council seats left vacant after Maumoon dismissed two of this three appointees to the council this Saturday.

The former Cabinet minister had been one of PPM’s first deputy leaders – along with Dhangethi MP Ilhaam Ahmed, former Vice President of Maldives Ahmed Adeeb Abdul Gafoor, and Fonadhoo MP Abdul Raheem Abdulla.

Umar was kicked off from PPM after losing out to current Maldivian President, Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom in the Presidential Election primaries in 2013.

He had gone and joined Jumhoory Party (JP) which aligned itself with Yameen during election, earning Umar a seat in Yameen’s Cabinet as his Minister of Home Affairs.

He had rejoined PPM after JP aligned with opposition party – Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP).

Umar has had his intentions of competing with Yameen for the PPM ticket for the upcoming Presidential Election known, as Yameen loyalists push to eliminate a primary and give Yameen the PPM ticket outright.

He has made his commitment to Maumoon’s reform agenda known.