News Desk
The ruling People’s National Congress (PNC) is positioning itself to launch the most widespread and energetic 2028 presidential election campaign across every island in the country, Vice President Hussain Mohamed Latheef said.
Speaking on MMTV’s “Congress Foari” program, Vice President Latheef stated that following the party’s national congress—scheduled for September 15 to 18—the party’s structure will be fully decentralized. Island leaders will be empowered to organize local activities on their own initiative.
“When our arrangements are finalized alongside party plans, our presidential election work will be moving forward faster than anyone else’s,” Latheef said. “That means we will be leading on every island. We will be the ones leading the campaign, and we will draw the largest crowds.”
The upcoming four-day congress is expected to gather over 1,300 delegates from across the Maldives. PNC Vice President Mohamed Hussain Shareef, also appearing on MMTV earlier, described it as the largest party convention in the country’s political history.
The gathering will focus on building local leadership skills and gathering ground-level data to tailor island-specific election strategies.
“The strategy for campaigning will differ from island to island,” Latheef said. “The needs of islands in the south, north, or even neighboring islands can be completely different. President Dr. Muizzu gives high priority to organizing party affairs according to the specific needs of each island.”
The push comes as the PNC claims its official membership has hit 70,000, solidifying its position as the largest political party in the Maldives. While the official register at the Elections Commission currently lists PNC membership at 67,579—behind the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party’s (MDP) 55,399—Shareef assured that recent nationwide membership drives championed by President Muizzu will push the formal tally beyond 70,000 once processing finishes.
Ahead of the 2028 campaign, the party is establishing local meeting hubs (jagaha) and gathering infrastructure across the atolls to support its growing presence.
