Seven candidates have been elected to the youth seats on the People’s National Congress (PNC) Council, as the ruling party continues a full day of internal elections at its Congress in Malé.
A total of 12 candidates contested for the seven positions reserved for youth, with delegates casting their votes on Wednesday as part of elections to determine the new composition of the party’s Council.
The seven successful candidates are Siman Haadi, Ibrahim Adhyan Nimal, Malsha Shareef, Mohamed Aseel, Lujainulla Zuhair, Ismail Rifau and Hammaad Rashid.
The results were particularly close among several of the successful candidates.
Siman received 881 votes, followed by Adhyan with 857 and Malsha with 856. Aseel secured 852 votes, while Lujainulla received 851.
Rifau and Hammaad claimed the final two available positions with 850 and 849 votes respectively.
Only eight votes separated the third and seventh-placed candidates, reflecting a closely contested race for the reserved youth positions.
The results complete another part of the PNC Council’s new composition following elections for seats reserved for women earlier in the day.
Twenty-two candidates contested for 10 women’s seats, with Mariyam Shiuna, Sheereen Abdulsamad, Aishath Mohamed, Fathimath Ruhusana, Fathimath Mizna, Fathimath Mohamed, Aasiyath Riyasa, Aminath Namza, Aminath Shuhuda and Mariyam Saamiya securing the positions.
Delegates also elected six vice presidents on Wednesday from a field of eight candidates.
Sports Minister Abdulla Rafiu, Fisheries Minister Ahmed Shiyam, Nilandhoo MP Fathimath Saudha, Baarah MP Ibrahim Shujau, Economic Development Minister Mohamed Saeed and Chief Presidential Spokesperson Mohamed Hussain Shareef, known as Mundhu, were elected to the six positions.
With the elections for the women’s and youth seats now concluded, one of the largest contests of the Congress remains the election for 18 general Council positions.
More than 70 candidates have entered the open category, significantly exceeding the number of seats available.
Elections for positions within PNC’s Youth and Women’s movements are also included in the Congress programme.
More than 1,300 delegates from Malé and islands across the country are participating in the four-day gathering, which began on Tuesday and will continue until Friday.
The Congress forms part of a wider restructuring of the ruling party following internal elections held across the country earlier this year.
President Dr Mohamed Muizzu, who serves as PNC president, has called on members to accept the results of the internal contests and remain united once the elections are concluded.
Further voting and party programmes will continue as PNC works to complete the formation of its Council and other leadership bodies during the Congress.
