It seems that Gayyoom has made a deal with the gov’t to destroy DRP- DRP

The main opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) has said that the party’s Honorary Leader and Former President of the Maldives, Maumoon Abdul Gayyoom has apparently made a deal with the current government to destroy DRP.

In a press conference held at DRP office yesterday, the party’s council member and Medhu Henveiru MP Ali Azim said that it is apparent from the speech that Gayyoom gave at the Z-DRP rally held Wednesday night that he has made a deal with the current government to destroy DRP. He said that Gayyoom has also made some comments which interprets as meaning that he does not believe in a party system.

Azim also said that although some government top officials speak non stop of Gayyoom’s 400 million dollar and 800 million dollar racket and also about the in humane torture of prisoners during his 30 year regime, none of these are actually investigated and trialed. He said that from these things also suspicions arise regarding Gayyoom and the government.

Azim alleged that it might be that Gayyoom made a deal to destroy DRP in condition that the government does not investigate his cases. He said although there have been lots of speech regarding Gayyoom’s involvement in such cases none have been so far sent to the Prosecutor General’s Office and none have been filed in court.

“I believe that the government has a hand behind these things. I believe so because in the many different functions many of the politicians speak of the different cases of corruption that involves President Gayyoom. They speak about the torture of prisoners during his regime. They say that they have evidence to prove these cases. And also take the case of the 800 million dollar racket. I believe that Gayyoom agreed to pressurize DRP and destroy if the government does not take him to court. Perhaps this is what is happening at back stage,” he said.

Azim said that Gayyoom works on to divide the party and widen the rift within the party every time DRP stands up against the government to make the government accountable and responsible. He said that the government realized that they can never defeat DRP except by destroying DRP.

Furthermore, in light of the accusations on the DRP leader Ahmed Thasmeen Ali, Azim said that there is no plausible reason for Thasmeen to make deals with the government. He denied the allegations on Thasmeen regarding loans.

Meanwhile, the news of the fuming internal crisis within DRP has been making headlines in the media for quiet sometime. The anti-Thasmeen movement first led by the dismissed DRP Deputy Leader Umar Naseer, which is now taken over by DRP founding leader Gayoom, has been continuously attempting to expose Thasmeen’s leadership lapses and defame him.

However, against the background of all these mounting challenges and the volatile internal clashes, Thasmeen on his part has been assuring his fellow party members and supporters he will remain firm as Party Leader despite the opposition to oust him. Thasmeen is seen to have the support of other strong politicians such as Speaker Abdulla Shahid.

Though it was Gayoom himself who endorsed Thasmeen to be his successor in party leadership, he later announced that his support for Thasmeen is now lost.