Nazim: Allegations of staging coup false, sparked by leaders’ fear

MNP presidential candidate Colonel Retired Mohamed Nazim has said that he is being falsely accused of coup because he remains a person that authorities are apprehensive about.

Speaking at the presidential candidates' debate yesterday, Nazim said that after he was asked if a person had entered the MNDF headquarters and the President's Office without any status and carried out a coup d'etat to overthrow former President Mohamed Nasheed’s government on February 7, 2013, and that many people allege gathered people above the rank of colonel to the Bandaara Koshi to attempt a coup against the government of former President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom should be given presidency of the country.

Responding to that, Nazim said that on February 7, he was fulfilling his national duty.

“I did a national duty that day and I should not have to take any responsibility for the change of government. The Cooney report after the case investigation that day did not say that I had any faults,” Nazim said.

He noted that while he was the only one accused of the coup, others were involved in the day’s work with him.

“If responsibility is to be taken, there will be two people who will be equally responsible as I am that day. They were the then Chief Justice [Ahmed Faiz Hussain] and the then Speaker of Parliament [Abdulla Shahid].” Nazim said.

In addition, in response to the accusations that President Yameen arrested Colonel Nazim not because he saw a pistol, but because he was trying to coup, Nazim said that President Yameen made additions to the story. He said he is a nationalist and would not try to overthrow the government under any circumstances.

He said he has only been working to bring progress and development to Maldives and will continue to work to achieve that goal.

He said he would introduce two more industries to bring about an economic revolution in Maldives. One of these industries is the Information Technology and Innovation Industry, he said. Nazim further said that the government will take advantage of the talented youths in the IT sector in Maldives to generate income for the country.