Former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom has asked candidates that contested the Local Council Elections and acquired seats independently to refrain from submitting to political pressure. 

In a statement from his faction of the ruling party, the opposition aligned former president said that candidates who are currently not in allegiance to any party are crucial to objectively maintaining state institutions accountable. 

Gayoom said that council members must remain steadfastly loyal to their constituents and thus uphold integrity by not submitting to political pressure and signing on to a political party. 

He further commended the council-elects, who are to take their oaths in June, after saying that all candidates not contesting on a ruling party ticket had faced numerous restrictions and therefore emerging victorious is a true accomplishment. 

Independent candidates had acquired 101 seats in Saturday’s vote.