PPM denies rumours of Yameen withdrawing support for Muizz

Abdul Raheem Abdulla, who is in charge of the opposition PPM/PNC coalition, urged supporters on Thursday night to not believe the rumors being circulated saying that their presidential candidate Dr Mohamed Muizz does not have Yameen’s approval. 

The team of lawyers representing Yameen in the High Court also issued a statement on Friday saying that he had not made any statements like those mentioned in the note that is being circulated in his name.

After the press conference held at the MDP campaign office on Thursday, they handed a piece of paper to journalists, which was allegedly a transcript of remakes Yameen made at court. When questioned, PPM-PNC Secretary General Ahmed Tholal said that it was all lies.

Abdul Raheem himself had responded to the allegations at a campaign rally in Lh. Naifaru on Thursday.

"There is no need to create doubt in our hearts by creating conflicts between President Yameen and Dr. Muizz. The PPM-PNC will not be divided. I am sayin this boldly, that it will not be divided. We will not give that opportunity," he said.

"They tried to do it for five years. Have they done it? They can't. I'm telling the government, you still can't. There will be no stronger army in the Maldives’ political arena”.

Abdul Raheem said that lies are being spread about Yameen speaking his dissatisfaction with Muizz in court. He described it as a desperate move by the government, knowing it would lose the election.

"President Yameen had said, go ahead with Dr Muizz. He told the PPM-PNC leadership to stop everything else and work to elect Dr Muizz," he said.

According to Abdul Raheem:

"There is no need to stay here [at the trial], go campaign. We have to win this election by any means. We have to elect Dr Muizz. This is President Yameen's message. Now what are they trying to say about Yameen?”

Abdul Raheem said the government would spread many such rumors in the last week before the elections. He asked party supporters not to listen to the gossip.

"They are out of things to do; they don't know what to do. They are largely convinced of their own defeat. You should not give space to any of this, you should not listen to it," he said.

"Rest assured, President Yameen fully supports Dr Mohamed Muizz. There is no question about that”.

Yameen’s lawyers also issued a statement denying the allegations that he is against Muizz.

According to the statement, Yameen said: