Senior officials of the Progressive Party of Maldives(PPM) and Peoples’ National Congress(PNC), in a press conference held on Thursday, slammed down doubts of some that questioned Yameen’s imprisonment would open the door for Jumhooree Party leader Gasim Ibrahim to come to power.
Responding to the statement, PNC’s President Abdul Raheem Abdulla said such statements are being spread by Gasim himself who is shown the dream by members who had left PPM to join JP. Abdul said attempts to isolate Yameen from the presidential race will not succeed.
At the press conference, Abdul Raheem reiterated that anyone who dreams of putting President Yameen behind bars to come to power with the support of the Progressive Coalition is mistaken.
Senior officials of the Progressive Party of Maldives(PPM) and Peoples’ National Congress(PNC), in a press conference held on Thursday, slammed down doubts of some that questioned Yameen’s imprisonment would open the door for Jumhooree Party leader Gasim Ibrahim to come to power.
Responding to the statement, PNC’s President Abdul Raheem Abdulla said such statements are being spread by Gasim himself who is shown the dream by members who had left PPM to join JP. Abdul said attempts to isolate Yameen from the presidential race will not succeed.
At the press conference, Abdul Raheem reiterated that anyone who dreams of putting President Yameen behind bars to come to power with the support of the Progressive Coalition is mistaken.
What are the biggest challenges Yameen and PPM are facing?
Former President Yameen’s efforts today are not just to get out of jail. More than that, he is trying to get back to power. Therefore, if he loses the opportunity to contest in 2023 and another candidate comes out of the PPM, then the opportunity for Yameen to come back to power will be closed forever. The age cap for President is 65 years old in Maldives. Yameen turned 63 this year.
• Will President Yameen leave the PPM to someone else in his absence?
• Will the PPM hold an internal primary to elect a presidential candidate?
• If primary is held, who will win PPM’s ticket?
• How much control will President Yameen have over the winner?
This is an empty question.
Why is Gasim the center of attraction?
Yameen’s imprisonment is a green door opened for JP leader Gasim Ibrahim to come to power. The two parties that is most likely to win the contest in the future is between PPM and MDP. But it is without a doubt that neither the parties can win without a coalition.
With Gasim announcing his intentions to contest the elections, people in the vicinity are having hopes that if Yameen is put behind bars, the PPM-PNC party will have no reasons not to put forward Gasim as a presidential candidate or atleast that’s what they thought.
Are officials within the party planning to overthrow Yameen?
This question arises as people’s speculation must have a foundation. Rumors don’t create on its own, unless there’s a starting point.
• Was Gasim approached by some members from PPM-PNC?
• Or was it Gasim who approached the party with the offer?
• Is there is a doubt within the party regarding possibilities of Yameen getting jailed?
“Any goal that our rivals, be it Gasim or the current administration or ruling coalition partners, want to achieve by imprisoning Yameen cannot be achieved. I am stating with confidence, with God’s will, the 2023 ballot paper will have President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayyoom’s name on it. The PPM-PNC presidential candidate is President Abdullah Yameen Abdul Gayoom and no one can replace him,” he said
Abdul Raheem has criticized Jumhooree Party leader Qasim Ibrahim for his dream of becoming president Yameen’s leader.
“We are repeating that hopefully the PPM will never take the oath of allegiance to the government that is in power today and the parties that participated in bringing this government,” he said.
Even though very bold statements were made, its a known fact that ‘Politics is a struggle for power.’ What may sound absurd and impossible today might be the reality for tomorrow. Nothing is certain, the tables keep turning, such is the game of politics.
