Dhivehi Rayyithunuge Party (DRP)'s Deputy Leader and former parliamentarian Abdulla Rifau, on Monday, announced his resignation from the party to devote his time to demand the release of former President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom.
According to Rifau's tweet, he also resigned from the position of Chief Executive Officer at Yacht Tours, a company owned by DRP Leader and parliamentary representative for Kaafu Atoll's Kaashidhoo constituency MP Abdulla Jabir.
In an interview with local media Mihaaru, Rifau revealed that his resignation was not a result of a clash between MP Jabir and him.
However, Rifau, who was a close associate of the former president Yameen, likening Jabir's policies to be more aligned with the ruling administration, he noted that he was simply unable to allocate adequate time to work towards Yameen's freedom.
In December 2019, the Criminal Court sentenced Yameen to five years in prison and a fine of USD 5 million over his involvement in the Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC) embezzlement case.
Following his imprisonment, the incarcerated ex-president had appealed his sentence at the High Court. After a series of hearings, the verdict is currently pending.
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