Unwise to Vent Frustrations on Pres. Yameen for Insufficient Party Members: Adhurey

President of the People's National Congress (PNC) and interim leader of the opposition coalition Abdul Raheem Abdulla (Adhurey) has stated that it is unwise for the recruiters of a new party to vent their frustrations on opposition leader former President Yameen for failing to recruit enough members for their party.

Parliament representative for Dhangethi constituency Colonel (Rtd) Mohamed Nazim claimed in parliament that President Yameen is a lazy person. In response, Adhurey inquired how a lazy person could have conducted the major development projects in the Maldives.

In reference to Nazim’s efforts to form a new political party, Adhurey said that one must pursue the formation of a new party based on one’s capabilities. He noted that before the formation of the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) and PNC, President Yameen played a lead role in forming the Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP). DRP was registered within a week. The former president then went on to register the People’s Alliance (PA) within a week all by himself. When PPM was formed along with President Yameen and former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, work to register the party and meet legal requirements commenced within the first 24 hours. 24 hours within the decision to form PNC, the party accumulated 5,000 members.

Adhurey iterated that neither President Yameen nor the opposition are at fault if people attempting to form new parties fail to recruit enough members in three to four months. He stated that these individuals are displeased with President Yameen as they are unable to match the service provided by the former president.

He claimed that Colonel Nazim is unhappy with the former president as he was informed that ministers must work from their assigned offices after he spent an extended period of time at the President’s Office, assuming that he could remain in the office. Adhurey revealed that when Nazim was found to be in possession of a pistol, he met with Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF) officials and implored them to stand against President Yameen.

The PNC Leader also revealed that Abdulla Riyaz is unhappy with the former president as he was not appointed Home Minister. He then elaborated on how the incident occurred, reiterating that it was not President Yameen’s problem.

The Home Minister’s slot was assigned to coalition party Jumhooree Party, and Abdulla Riyaz, who was the Commissioner of Police at the time, desired the position of Home Minister. After discussing the matter with Jumhooree Party Leader Qasim Ibrahim, Riyaz was asked to resign as Commissioner of Police if he wished to become a minister. After he resigned, two members of the party claimed it cannot be done so, as the council must submit the name for Home Minister. The council then decided to appoint Umar Naseer to the position.