Opposition alleges bribery in MDP's historic win in Guraidhoo by-election

Opposition parties have alleged that the ruling MDP won the by-election to the K. Guraidhoo constituency held on Saturday by distributing millions of Rufiyaa and interfering in the election process.

MDP candidate Ibrahim Shaz won the by-election to Guraidhoo constituency by a margin of 120 votes.

This is the first time in MDP’s history that the party has won a seat in K. atoll.

PNC vice-president and Maduvvari MP Adam Shareef Umar, who is part of the opposition PPM-PNC coalition, has made serious allegations against MDP.

"The results have been made through undue influence and the distribution of millions," he said.

"However, president Ibrahim Mohamed Solih and MDP cannot influence everyone in the Maldives. Not all citizens can be bought with money."

Shareef said the opposition candidate, former president Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom, would be released from prison and PPM would win this year's presidential election as well.

Provisional results:

As many as 3,423 voters were eligible to exercise their rights in the elections, according to data released by the Election Commission. A total of 2,755 voters or 80.4% of the eligible voters exercised their right.

Voting for the Guaidhoo constituency by-election went smoothly until close to the end.

However, the election commission's decision to extend the voting time drew criticism from the government, which contested the elections, as well as the opposition PPM and MNP. The reason was that the voting time had been extended without consulting the contesting parties.

In addition, when the opposition stopped a person from casting his vote at a polling booth in Male after the clock, the SO police entered the polling station (Izzuddin School) and protested against it. The opposition supporters continued to protest outside the polling booth, up until iftar.