The ruling Progressive Party of the Maldives dismissed speculation the government will seek to delay the September 23 presidential election. “We want to hold the election as soon as possible. And it will happen on the date the Elections Commission has set,” MP Abdul Raheem Abdulla told the press Sunday evening. The PPM will not seek to postpone the polls “under any circumstances” or support delays, the party’s deputy leader insisted. The press briefing was called after the Maldivian Democratic Party said President Abdulla Yameen was “inventing cowardly excuses to cancel or delay the election,” referring to an astonishing Facebook post from the defence minister about a plot to destabilise the Maldives in the coming days.
Questions were also raised about why the president is yet to file his candidacy papers.
But the PPM lawmaker said Yameen and his running mate will submit the application before the August 10 deadline.
“It doesn’t necessarily have to be the day of the announcement or a particular date,” he said
Full Article: Maldives ruling party denies plans to delay election – Maldives Independent.
