People still choose coalition govt: President

President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih said on Saturday that the people still want a coalition government with many ideologies.

President Solih, who is on a campaign visit to northern atolls for the ruling MDP's presidential primary to be held on 28 January, addressed MDP members of the island and conducted door-to-door campaigning.

Standing on a podium set up in the port area of Manadhoo, the president began his speech by saying that it was the party's resolve to win every presidential election. He then pointed out that whenever it was successful, it was done by forming an alliance.

Given the political situation in the country and the people's decision, the people want a government with multiple parties, he said.

"There is nothing wrong with that," he said.

"It's the right thing to do when a true democracy is flourishing. I believe that it is in the best interest of the country to have many ideologies in one place till things settle down and decide things through discussion."

Earlier, in the 2013 presidential election, MDP had won more than 48% of the votes in the first round, but the party lost that election because the party could not add 6,000 votes without a party to join them, the president said. 

Therefore, the president urged the people to help him win the primary and also win the presidential election so that the "journey to the development of the country does not stop".

He said that he had no doubt that he would win the primary by a huge margin and said "We want to win the election with the support of all the islands". Therefore, he urged the people of Manadhoo to participate in the victory.

In his speech, the president described president Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom's rule from 2013 to 2018 as a regime that was "oppressive and torturous". He pointed out:

"It [former President Yameen's government] has no characteristics of a democratic government elected by the people," he said. The people were feeling the white supremacy, violence and fear, according to president Solih.

Stating that this year's presidential election should decide whether to go back to those days or stay in the present peace and tranquility, he advised people to vote wisely. He also reiterated his own statement that MDP could end up on the road due to the candidate elected in the primary, targeting his primary opponent, -the speaker of the parliament and MDP president Mohamed Nasheed.

What the government is doing in Manadhoo:

He also said that while there are many projects that have been stalled due to the Covid-19 pandemic, such projects in Manadhoo will be taken up with special attention.