Yameen's release 'political suicide' for Muizz, says Mariya

The release of former President Abdulla Yameen is a political suicide for PPM-PNC candidate Dr Mohamed Muizz and will become a “danger” to the government, President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih's campaign spokesperson Mariya Ahmed Didi said on Thursday.

Mariya, the campaign spokesperson for the MDP candidate for the September 9 presidential election, as well as the defence minister has been holding a series of press conferences.

At the press conference held at the Shinetree building, where the MDP campaign office is located, on Thursday, Mariya criticised Muizz for saying that Yameen will be released.

PPM-PNC candidate Muizz has repeatedly said that he will release Yameen within the legal framework.

Beginning her speech on Yameen’s release, Mariya recalled the government of former President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik. Although Waheed did become president, only two MPs had supported him in parliament, she said. She said that if Muizz released Yameen, he would have to suffer the same fate.

She added: 

"Muizz will go down the same way Waheed did," she said.

"If the PPM takes the seats, there will be no way for Muizz to fulfil any of his promises with other rival political parties."

Mariya said if Yameen is released, it would be like Muizz committing suicide politically, and Yameen would become a major “threat” to Muizz’s government. 

"So he will not commit political suicide," she said.

"Releasing Yameen, that's not something he's going to do. Releasing Yameen would be a much bigger threat to Muizz."

Mariya said that though Muizz claims to have been endorsed by Yameen and will rule as Yameen says, people should not put hope in that.

She justified as reason for saying that as how Yameen first came out using his brother, former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom’s name, but that Muizz must have seen firsthand what happened to Maumoon afterwards.

"So I don't see him doing it that way," she said.

"I’m saying this because I wish the people well."