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Gasim Ibrahim leaves the President's Office after a meeting. Dhauru Photo/Abdullah Iyaan

Why not admit to quitting JP for govt job, Gasim asks ex-members

While JP members in political positions are quitting the party, there are three JP members in the cabinet.

2 April 2023

By Mohamed Muzayyin Nazim

Jumhooree Party (JP) leader Gasim Ibrahim on Saturday questioned why JP members in political positions in the government are criticising JP and him instead of saying that they are quitting the party in defence of their posts.

After it was confirmed on Thursday that Gasim would be JP’s presidential candidate for the September 9 elections, some of its members in the current government have been quitting the party. He appealed to the people not to defame the party.

"How about the JP functionaries in government positions say they are quitting the party for the sake of employment instead of defaming the party and the party leadership?," he tweeted.

Jumhooree Party, which is part of the current government's coalition, decided to contest the presidential election separately after being invited to form an alliance with President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih for a second term. 

The party also opened its doors to a primary after deciding to contest the elections. Nominations for the primary were closed on Thursday and only Gasim had applied for the party's presidential ticket. That is why he is now the party's presidential candidate.

With the official announcement that he will be entering the presidential race, JP leaders holding government positions have been quitting the party since Thursday. Some of them are:

  • His former adviser, MTCC CEO Adam Azim

  • MWSC CEO Hassan Shah

  • Deputy Minister for Arts Waleedha Waleed 

  • Deputy Minister for Higher Education Aminath Mohamed Saleem

While JP members in political positions are quitting the party, there are three JP members in the cabinet. They are yet to take a decision.

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