Will respond to government’s “attacks” through votes: Abdul Raheem

People’s National Congress (PNC) leader Abdul Raheem Abdulla has said that the current government’s "verbal attacks" at Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) and PNC coalition’s candidate Dr. Mohamed Muizzu will be responded to through votes.

Abdul Raheem said that the coalition is not concerned by the criticisms aimed at the Malé City Mayor, who is considered as the strongest contender to the incumbent President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih in the upcoming presidential election.

The PNC leader made the remarks at the campaign rally in Addu City after opening a campaign hub in Addu atoll Hithadhoo. At the campaign rally, Abdul Raheem said that the coalition’s opponents were attempting to create discord among its members but urged its members not to allow others the chance.

He said that their opponents were attempting to create rifts among coalition members unaware of the PPM/PNC coalition’s strengths.

“PPM is PNC and PNC is PPM. Both these parties are President Yameen’s, so whether it is PPM that is contending, or PNC, they are fielding the candidate decided by Yameen,” Abdul Raheem said.

Abdul Raheem said that after Yameen was disqualified from the presidential race, he wanted to endorse a candidate from the coalition capable of implementing his policies and continue the same developmental plans as he envisioned. The PNC leader said Dr. Muizzu was the perfect candidate uphold Yameen’s requests.

Abdul Raheem further said that the coalition’s opponents were becoming hesitant after observing Dr. Muizzu’s support across the atolls.

“We can clearly see the support from the atolls. The stronger the support, the more our candidate gets directed with such ‘attacks’. They will employ every tactic when they are losing. We believe that is the case here, but I am not going to respond to that at the moment,” Abdul Raheem said.

Incumbent President and Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) candidate Ibrahim Mohamed Solih’s campaign spokesperson and current Minister of Defense Mariya Ahmed Didi has strongly criticized Dr. Muizzu in recent campaign rallies of the ruling party.