"Yameen's failed re-election bid down to rampant corruption"
Abdul Raheem said he still has a lot to tell the people, and that he would discuss these issues in future sessions.
By
Aishath Maha
Abdul Raheem Abdulla, parliament Speaker and former right-hand man to former president Abdullah Yameen, has launched a scathing attack on Yameen, saying his government was defeated due to his failure to stop corruption and theft.
Speaking at the official opening of the PNC booth in Veyovilla, in Henveiru ward in the capital on Sunday evening, Abdul Raheem said that corruption had been rampant during the Yameen government.
Abdul Raheem described Yameen as a man who does not know how to appreciate the sincere people around him or their efforts.
“We lost our [President Yameen's] government because we could not stop corruption. We lost our government from 2013 to 2018 because we said yes to corruption,” he said.
Abdul Raheem said President Yameen lost the 2018 elections because he did not heed the advice of the party's senior leaders and ignored them when they shared with him what needed to be done to secure re-election. He also said that campaigning under two roofs and leaving the campaign to people who do not know the political situation are the other reasons for the defeat.
“[President Yameen] said this is my business, it is not about you, you should do what I say, so we did as he said,” he said.
Abdul Raheem added:
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A month before the election, poll predictions and statistics were given to the President
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He had also explained the work needed to be done to get the votes
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He requested of Yameen the permission to send the MPs to their constituencies to campaign
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However, the President banned the members from going to campaign
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He praised the work of Dr Mohammed Muizzu; how he discussed issues and sought the opinion of the leadership in this regime
Abdul Raheem admitted that he had then planned to give power to President Muizzu. He said he did so because he knew President Yameen very well.
"I planned it ahead, why did I plan it? I planned it because I knew President Yameen. I know that if he couldn’t contest, he will not allow our party to contest [the election]," referring to his behind-the-scenes efforts to secure the presidential ticket for Muizzu, Abdul Raheem said.
"I knew that even if we made Plan A, Plan B or Plan C, he would still not consent to us participating in the presidential election," he said.
Abdul Raheem said he still has a lot to tell the people, and that he would blow the lid off these issues in future sessions.
"It's very wrong to stir a hornet's nest. A hornet’s nest should be disturbed with careful thought”, he concluded his speech by issuing an indirect warning to Yameen.
He also criticised the charity foundation that was initiated by President Yameen's spouse and the then first lady Fathmath Ibrahim.
