Ikram Withdraws from Adhaalath Party Presidential Race, Citing Election Concerns

Dr Ikram Abdul Saththar has announced his withdrawal from the contest for the presidency of the Adhaalath Party, accusing the party of conducting its internal election in a manner that undermines democratic principles.

In a letter addressed to the party, Dr Ikram said he had decided to withdraw and boycott the election because it was being carried out “outside the rules of democracy and the principles of two-sided justice”. He alleged that the party was engaged in a conspiracy to engineer a desired outcome and facilitate what he described as a dictatorial system.

Dr Ikram had previously written to the Elections Commission of Maldives (ECM) requesting that it halt the use of online voting for the party’s leadership election. In his letter to the ECM, he said holding online elections in a way that disrupts the process was unacceptable under any circumstances. He also noted that members had questioned the validity of the election, pointing out that the last vote for the incumbent president, Sheikh Imran Abdullah, had also been conducted online.

The contest for the party presidency was between Dr Ikram and the party’s current vice-president, Sheikh Mohamed Shifan. Dr Ikram’s running mate was Mohammed Muthalib, the State Minister of Fisheries in the current government.

The Adhaalath Party has said that if more than one candidate is contesting, a secret ballot would be held on 31 January through an electronic voting system. The party maintained that the election is being conducted in accordance with its constitution and the rules established for the process.

Dr Ikram holds a bachelor’s degree, a master’s degree and a PhD in Sharia and Law from the International Islamic University of Malaysia. He has taught law and conducted research at the university and is also a practising lawyer. He has been an active member of the Adhaalath Party since its formation in 2005, but has remained distant from party activities since 2017, when the party joined forces with the then opposition.