PA will emerge as a political party soon - Nazim

13 December 2007
Report: Ayya

Vice President of People’s Association (PA) Ahmed Nazim has said that PA will emerge as full fledge political party before the presidential elections of 2008. He made the statement to Miadhu talking about the Associations transformation to a political party.

MP for Meemu Atoll as well as the Vice President of PA, Nazim said the council members of PA has already decided on the transformation and that currently technical issues related to the registration is going on. In this regard Nazim stated that they are checking to see if they can use the name of PA as the name is widely accepted by the people. He also said that they will soon organize a general assembly of PA in order to ascertain whether the name PA is acceptable to members.

Nazim said that he does not anticipate any problems in the transformation. “We are confident that we would not face those issues faced by other parties, it would not be difficult for us to register PA as a political party, we would be easy for us to submit documentation with 3000 signatures, we can get people from the biggest 5 atolls of Maldives, we can get people from Ha, Gdh,Meemu, Shaviani, and Seenu Atoll, we have full confidence we will able to do that” said Nazim.

Asked if PA will compete in the Presidential elections of 2008, if registered Nazim replied that a political party literally means seeking to gain control of the government and running the government when successful and if the party’s regulations allow a presidential candidate will be elected. Nazim further said the current Leader of PA is also a very capable person to be the PA’s presidential candidate.

Continuing with his conversation Nazim said that there were two main reasons why he left Dhivehi Rahyithunge Party (DRP). Nazim said the reasons were the loss of internal democracy within DRP and lack of initiative on constitutional reform by DRP.

Speaking to Miadhu day before yesterday, Abdulla Jabir, one of the Vice President’s of PA said that PA would not emerge as a political party, but council members does have ideas on forming a political party and that no decision has been reached among council members.

“There is no way PA will change in to a political party, PA is an Association, PA members are talking about forming a political party but no decision has been reached on how and when to do it, PA is an association which has lot of MPs from the People’s Majlis as well as from the Special Majlis as members, PA members will always think in many angles, public will be informed if PA decides to form a party, we are currently working in the best interests of the people in both the Majlis” said Jabir.

PA came into existence because of the aspirations of the founders of the association to serve the nation and people and raise their living standards. Faster economic development and distribution of the wealth of the country on sound policies are major objectives of PA. PA is headed by Abdulla Yamin, President’s younger brother and former Higher Education and Employment Minister. Key members of PA include for State Minister Ahmed Nazim former Chairman of Mifco Abdullah Jabir and Majlis member and leading construction businessman Jausa Jaufaru.