Nasheed: Solih will work with us after chairperson election
The former president stressed that past disagreements over governance reforms should be left behind, with the priority now being to unite the party.
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Former Maldivian President Mohamed Nasheed has expressed confidence that former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih will support the opposition party’s “Great Change” initiative following the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) chairperson election.
Speaking on Sangu TV’s Hello Anni programme on Wednesday night, Nasheed said he intended to consult Solih after the election and was certain they would work together.
“Once this election is over and I become the MDP Chairperson, I will reach out to President Solih. He will join us to work together. I have no doubt about this,” Nasheed said.
His remarks came after former Finance Minister Ibrahim Ameer claimed the MDP lost the 2023 presidential election because party leaders believed they could succeed without Nasheed, despite an alleged agreement having been reached with him. Solih responded that the proposed deal involved committing to a parliamentary system referendum before the election and dismissing three cabinet ministers, conditions he said he could not accept.
Nasheed rejected Solih’s account, arguing that the discussions referenced by Ameer had taken place long before the 2023 election cycle and joking that Solih “might be suffering from a slight lapse in memory”. He said he found Ameer’s version of events more credible.
The former president stressed that past disagreements over governance reforms should be left behind, with the priority now being to unite the party and defeat the current government. He said a strong and united MDP was essential for the country’s future and reiterated his support for the “Great Change” initiative, a proposed hybrid governance model combining elements of presidential and parliamentary systems.
Nasheed also expressed confidence in winning the chairperson election, saying he was “100% certain” of victory while urging supporters to remain active and not become complacent ahead of the vote.
