Former President Abdulla Yameen has dropped the idea of boycotting the presidential election, and has extended his support for PNC Candidate Mohamed Muizzu.

On Thursday, the PNC Senate, which is part of the opposition coalition, decided to field a replacement candidate if Yameen was unable to run in the election. Male' City Mayor Mohamed Muizzu was selected by PNC as the candidate. However, PPM later said Muizzu was no Plan B, stressing that he was actually Plan C. The party said it had not decided to support Muizzu yet.

Yameen ordered a boycott of the presidential election after the Supreme Court yesterday ruled that the Election Commission (EC) had correctly decided not to accept his candidacy form after declaring that he did not meet the criteria to participate in the presidential election.

A meeting of the party's Senate was held yesterday to take a decision on Yameen's note. Sixty-seven senators voted not to boycott the election. A total of 46 Senates voted to boycott the election.

Yameen's side, however, sought a review of the Senate's decision not to boycott the presidential election. Therefore, the ppm/PNC leadership held discussions on the issue last night. It was decided not to boycott the elections.

Muizzu submitted his candidacy form to the Election Commission (EC) today.

President Yameen's election agent Mohamed Tholal said that the best thing for the Progressive Congress Coalition and for the Maldivian people would be for the Progressive Congress coalition to field a candidate on behalf of the coalition as per the wishes of the Senate, public members, and more than 100,000 Maldivians.

PNC President Abdul Raheem Abdulla (Adhurey), who is in charge of the PPM/PNC administration, said in a tweet that with the full support of President Yameen and the hard work of the people, this year's presidential election will be won by the PPM/PNC candidate.

He also congratulated PNC presidential candidate Muizzu and his running mate Faresmathoda MP Hussain Mohamed Latheef.

Adhurey was present when Muizzu's form was submitted to the EC.