PNC President Abdul Raheem Abdulla is under hot seats as there has been heavy allegations of him conspiring against the party leader Yameen.
Recently, President Yameen’s closest friend and treasurer Ahmed Mustafa has accused the PPM–PNC leader of trying to imprison president Yameen. He wrote that Yameen had miniature bats on his head and sharks on his bottom. Describing President Yameen as the king of the jungle, Mustafa said those who are jealous of Yameen are trying to “climb up and take over.”
According to a news published by Dhauru and Dhenme, a source also revealed that while President Yameen was in jail, Abdul Raheem, continued to have secret relations with Gasim. He also stated that Gasim arranged a loan of Rs 3 million at the lowest interest rate through an SME bank. According to various PPM sources, there is an unrest within the opposition coalition over Abdul Raheem. Some said that Abdul Raheem has been away from party activities, distancing himself.
The opposition PPM-PNC President Abdul Raheem has denied allegations that he has withdrawn from the party’s activities due to political conflict within the party.
Previously, Vilimale Constituency Councilor Nahula Ali also made claims that “Some members of PPM are trying to bring someone other than Yameen to power.” Some members within PPM are working to not only expel former President Yameen but also his true supporters from within the party. She said that one of them is PNC leader and Hulhumale MP Ibrahim Shujau. Nahula was dismissed from PPM in may.
Following the rumours, the PPM-PNC coalition also issued a statement denying that their exists an internal conflict within the party. But differences of opinion has also made its way into the parliament sessions and in the social media. Just last week, PPM MP Ahmed Thorig and PNC MP Mohammed Saeed made ridiculous remarks against each other over money. After which, Yameen announced an emergency meeting for the coalition members.
Even though Yameen has been given the opposition coalition’s Presidential ticket, there is a possibility that he will lose his seat in the presidency if the charges against him are proven. Therefore, there is this narrative that some of the PPM members are interested in getting the Presidential ticket if such a situation arises. Maldives is a nation, where in a single party alone cannot win the election, that is why coalition matters. There is a rumor that Abdul Raheem along with some other members within the coalition are pushing for Gasim Ibrahim to win the 2023 Presidential elections by lending him their support. If it is at all true, what lays ahead for the future of PPM?
