Former President Dr. Mohamed Waheed has called upon members of the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) to cast their votes in favor of Jumhooree Party (JP) leader Qasim Ibrahim.
Dr. Waheed, who recently made his exit from the main opposition party, said that both he and approximately 40,000 PPM members have been ousted from the party.
Disputes within the party concerning discussions about the presidential candidate eventually resulted in the party endorsing coalition partner People's National Congress (PNC) candidate, Dr. Mohamed Muizzu which led to Dr. Waheed's resignation from PPM.
Dr. Waheed had earlier expressed his interest to contest the presidency under PPM's ticket and had submitted the necessary documentation to clear his records.
Following the endorsement of the PPM/PNC coalition in support of Dr. Muizzu, Dr. Waheed decided to leave the party, citing that he believed his skills and expertise could be better utilized in a different setting.
While speaking at Alifu Dhaalu atoll Maamigili where he officially joined JP, Dr. Waheed said during his ten-year tenure with PPM, he observed a the lack of democratic principles within the party. He highlighted that the party did not allow for the nomination of a candidate for the presidential election on September 9.
"Due to this, there is no candidate from PPM in this year's election. There is no pink color, no emblem or symbol. Where are the 40,000 members of PPM? I would say that if I have been ousted from the party, then so are they," said Dr. Waheed.
Dr. Waheed said that the sovereignty, democracy, and the economy of the nation is at a critical stage demanding immediate attention. He added that failure to address these issues could lead the Maldives down a path of political instability similar to that experienced by Sri Lanka.
He further said that the necessity for the country to undertake a restructuring of its state loans and explore additional avenues to increase government revenue. Dr. Waheed said that the leader of JP and the party's candidate was the only one capable to accomplish these tasks.
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