Lawmaker of Kinbidhoo constituency Abdulla Riyaz proclaimed late Tuesday that the 10 members of ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM), who signed the opposition's resolution to see a motion of no confidence against the parliament speaker, took a great risk in doing so as they could no longer bear the injustices of the government.
Speaking at an opposition rally, Riyaz stated that the MPs who signed against Parliament Speaker Abdulla Maseeh have shown a good example to all others. He claimed that several members who have discussed the matter with the opposition Tuesday have also shown interest in joining the opposition's efforts.
Noting that President Abdulla Yameen has lost the support of international authorities, he stated that the president has not yet specifically declared he is running for the Presidential Elections 2018.
Doubting that President Yameen may run for the upcoming election, MP Riyaz who was also the former Police Commissioner, criticized the president, saying that he would not have the strength to run and challenge against the large force of the joint opposition.
Highlighting the issue of Isdhoo MP Ahmed Rasheed Ibrahim of PPM, who has declared that his signature on the no confidence motion against Speaker Maseeh was forged, Riyaz claimed that he has come to know that the signature has been verified and that MP Rasheed has not filed the case at Police as previously rumoured.
Riyaz stressed that the government could not digest the fact that the motion was submitted with the signatures of 45 lawmakers, which outweigh the number of MP's who did not sign the petition. He said that, hence, the government is trying to turn the whole issue into a case of bribery.
Moreover, MP Riyaz also claimed that the former president who reigned for 30 years and the half-brother of President Yameen, Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, joining the opposition leaders in a rally would also be difficult to digest for President Yameen. He said that all such events have led to the government claiming that the no confidence motion had to be framed somehow.
“I am sure there won’t be any evidence against MP Faris Maumoon for bribery as it never happened. Such claims are made only to defame the opposition movement.”
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