Mariya accuses Muizz of 'buying' PPM-PNC senate to win pres ticket

Defence minister Mariya Ahmed Didi, who serves as the spokesperson for President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih's re-election campaign, alleged on Thursday that Male aymor Dr Mohamed Muizz is contesting the upcoming presidential election by "buying" the PPM-PNC senate to win the PNC presidential ticket, after jailed opposition leader Abdulla Yameen had urges the leadership to boycott the elections.

Mariya made the remarks at the first press conference held on behalf of the president's campaign team.

The MDP is the only party that serves the people while other parties do not pay much attention to the rights of the people, she said at a press conference held at the campaign office at the Shinetree Building where Salt Cafe is located. Citing PPM as an example, she said Muizz was also out only for Yameen.

“Other parties, for example, PPM candidate Muizz is saying that they are contesting the election for Yameen's sake, President Yameen,” she said.

"Then what about the people?"

Mariya accused Muizz of doing some things to attain candidacy to contest the upcoming elections. As such, she said, despite Yameen’s various requests to boycott the election, Muizz had “bought” the senate members.

"We all saw how he went to confirm his candidacy, to get it. President Yameen kept on ordering to boycott the elections in various ways, and we saw Muizzucoming out as a candidate after having bought the senate," she said.

Muizz is now only trying to convince Yameen that he is with him, she said.

Mariya also spoke about some other candidates contesting the election. Referring to Jumhooree Party (JP) leader Gasim Ibrahim, she said:

According to the attendance record of the parliament, like Gasim, President Solih's coalition partner, MDA leader and Dh. Meedhoo MP Ahmed Siyam Mohamed also has one of the lowest attendance records.