Adhurey: Country brought to standstill to ‘steal’ presidential election

The entire country has been brought to a standstill in order to “steal” the upcoming presidential election, states the leader of People’s National Congress (PNC), Abdul Raheem Abdulla (Adhurey).

Leaders from the opposition coalition, composed of the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) and PNC, made another unsuccessful attempt to meet President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih at his office on Tuesday.

Speaking to press outside the President’s Office, Adhurey alleged the entire country had been brought to a halt to steal the presidential election – slated for September 9.

Adhurey said they went to meet President Solih after calling the President’s Office for an appointment. He said the President’s Office had told him the president had made time to meet them.

“As soon as we came and sat down, we saw the president leave. We don’t know what happened,” he said.

He said the president was untruthful, whether to a government institution or political party.

“This great deceit is deeply concerning,” he said.

Adhurey said the opposition was trying to meet the president to share their concern over the stall in appeal over the prison sentence against PPM’s leader, former president Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom.

He said they wish to ask when the “injustice” against Yameen would stop.

“The people are restless to bring Yameen back to office. The people want to speed up the case at High Court,” he said.

Adhurey alleged the government had incapacitated all state institutions, including the Parliament.

Yameen was sentenced to 11 years in prison on December 25, 2022, after finding him guilty of bribery and money laundering charges related to receiving kickbacks from the sale on V. Aarah for resort development.