Nazim Enters PNC Primaries for Upcoming Parliamentary Election

Former Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Ahmed Nazim, has officially submitted name for the People’s National Congress (PNC) primaries, signaling his intent to vie for the Dhiggaru parliamentary seat in the upcoming Majlis election.

Having previously lost the Dhiggaru seat in 2015 due to a corruption conviction, Nazim’s political journey took a turn when the Supreme Court overturned the conviction in 2018. 

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Despite an unsuccessful independent bid in the 2019 parliamentary elections, he remains undeterred and has now submitted his candidacy for the PNC primaries, with aspirations to reclaim the Dhiggaru seat.

In a statement posted on X on yesterday, Nazim affirmed his commitment to running in next year’s parliamentary elections as the PNC candidate.

During the 2019 elections, Nazim contested as an independent candidate and faced tough competition from Ikram Hassan, a member of the then-ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP). Ultimately, Ikram secured victory with 1,012 votes, while Nazim garnered 751 votes.

Nazim’s political trajectory faced a significant setback in April 2015 when, under the administration of former President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom, he was sentenced to 25 years in prison on corruption charges. 

The allegations pertained to defrauding the state of MVR 1.4 million by submitting bids on behalf of non-existent companies. However, the Supreme Court overturned this conviction in December 2018, following Yameen’s electoral defeat to former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih.