Nasheed’s campaign rally cut short over security threat

Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP)’s leader and Parliament speaker Mohamed Nasheed’s last campaign rally before the presidential primary was cut short on Thursday, due to a possible security threat.

The former Maldivian president was seen rushed out of the Artificial Beach in Male’ City, where his rally was being held, by his security detail.

Sources close to Nasheed confirm he was escorted out of the venue due to a security threat.

The rally had attracted a large number of his followers, who expected him to deliver one of the fiery speeches he is famous for. However, Nasheed spent only around 10 minutes on his speech.

Nasheed expressed confidence in winning the election, and asked his followers to help restore MDP to its original values.

Sun has been informed he cut short his speech at the instructions of this security detail.

However, the exact nature of the threat remains unclear at this point.

Parliament’s deputy speaker Eva Abdulla said Nasheed was “okay”.

Nasheed had been the target of an assassination attempt on May 6, 2021, when a homemade remote-controlled IED strapped to a motorcycle outside his residence was detonated just as he exited his residence and went to get in his car. Nasheed sustained multiple shrapnel wounds in the attack, while three members of his security detail and two bystanders sustained minor wounds.

He underwent hours of surgery at a local hospital to remove the shrapnel and repair the damage, after which he was flown overseas for additional treatment.