Ruling party supporters protest over 'govt candidate' in Thimarafushi
"In this election, the president has political confidence in Ahmed Riyaz, who is contesting as an independent candidate," party vice-president Shiyam said.
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By
Mohamed Muzayyin Nazim
Supporters of Ibrahim Sanah (Santo), who won the PNC ticket from Th.Thimarafushi constituency, staged a protest when several state ministers arrived in Thimarafushi on Thursday to seek support for Ahmed Riyaz, who is contesting as an independent candidate from the constituency.
Although Sanah won the ticket from the ruling party PNC, the government does not support him. The President supports Ahmed Riyaz in the constituency. Ahmed Riyaz is the brother of the incumbent MP and ruling coalition MNP Vice President Abdullah Riyaz.
On Thursday, some ministers visited Thimarafushi to campaign for Ahmed Riyaz. The event was originally planned to begin at 2:15 p.m at the Thimarafushi PNC party camp. Before the protest, Sanah wrote a post on X expressing his dissatisfaction.
According to Sanah:
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He is the PNC's Thimarafushi president
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The PNC camp on the island was opened by President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu; there is no other PNC camp on the island.
"Don't provoke a rebellion. Don't try to take away the peace in the island!" Sanah, who worked closely with President Muizzu during the presidential election, wrote in the post.
Videos of the protest circulated on social media show Sanah leading the protest in the area where the rally was being held. Thus:
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Sanah is heard on a megaphone, criticising Fisheries Minister Ahmed Shiyam who was speaking on the podium at the time
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There was some police presence in the area
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Police cordoned off the area with tape to keep the protesters at a distance
“You are not a PNC candidate,” the protesters shouted, referring to Riyaz.
Sanah told Atoll Times that the issue escalated when Ahmed Riyaz's campaign booth was opened in the name of PNC. Later, the venue was changed, he said.
"Then people expressed their sentiments in the area where the rally was held. That is, the government is supporting someone else while I have the PNC ticket," said Sanah.
After the meeting in Thimarafushi, the team of ministers next visited Th. Madifushi.
When contacted, Shiyam, at Madifushi, told Atoll Times that the protesters were “a team of us who are conflicted”.
When asked why there was conflict, he said, "because the government is working with this candidate”.
"It's the government candidate's camp. The government's candidate will be someone who the president trusts politically. In this election, the president has political confidence in Ahmed Riyaz, who is contesting as an independent candidate," party vice-president Shiyam said.
