Former Vice President Abdulla Jihad and other senior figures who served under presidency of former President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom have signed for Jumhooree Party (JP), a partner of the coalition government which assumed office last November.
At an event held at the main headquarters of the party, in addition to former Vice President Jihad, former Minister of Home Affairs Azleen Ahmed and several former parliamentarians who represented Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) during the previous administration joined JP. The former parliamentarians who left the opposition include Ahmed Nihan Hussain Manik, Ali Arif, Ibrahim Falah and Ahmed Assad.
Speaking at the ceremony, the former vice president he would work towards securing the presidency for JP in the 2023 Presidential Election. He added he would actively work with the leadership of the party in transforming JP to a prominent political movement within the next few years.
Although several key members from the opposition, who had widely criticised the partners of the coalition government, had joined JP, its leader Qasim Ibrahim expressed he had no wish to leave the government coalition.