I did not lie, grave wrongs were committed during the election: Umar Naseer

Former deputy leader of the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) Umar Naseer, who recently lost the party’s presidential primary election has reiterated his stand that grave wrongs were committee during the election, and stressed that he has not uttered any false statements in his accusations.

Speaking at a gathering last night, Umar said that all he has said so far about the party’s primary are true. He said that some people were not able to cast their vote, as the voter registry did not include their names, while others had cast their vote in their stead, before they could arrive at the polling stations.

PPM recently decided to penalize Umar for his conducting a party event soon after he lost the primary election, and his harsh accusations against the party’s presidential candidate Abdulla Yameen during the event.

Speaking at the gathering held near his former campaign post last night, Umar said that he had held his tongue during the time of the voting because the primary is something that he had “carried on his shoulders” in order to bring it to the people. He said that his intention of revealing his stories was not to call for a the election to be conducted again, but because he believed it was important that the general members of the party be aware of the truth.

“At on point, it was certain that Yameen’s name was ticked on the remaining ballot papers in some of the islands, and cast into the ballot box. At that point I decided to bring these stories to you and make them public. Not because I wanted to make it a big problem, not to submit the issue to the elections committee and make a big fuss,” said Umar.

The reason he joined PPM was because Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, the party’s president, is an true and honest man, Umar said, but said that he cannot say the same for Maumoon’s brother Yameen. He said that he will willingly follow Maumoon, if he chose to stand for elections.

Umar said that he is aware that the party’s behavioural committee has decided to remove him from the party, and that this is the main reason that one of his supporters has submitted a case in Civil Court asking that the primary be declared invalid.

“When it came to the point where they were going to dismiss me, I decided to take the matter to court. Because I want to prove what I am saying is true. I want to prove it to the general members of PPM, and to the people of Maldives,” said Umar.

He said that it will be proven that the primary election was carried out underhandedly by the end of the court process.

He also said that he will stand in front of the PPM office even if he is dismissed and that he will reform the party from the inside.

PPM ordered Umar Naseer to make a public apology for holding public event against party regulation, which he held soon after he had lost the presidential primary. The party’s behavioural committee has now decided to dismiss him after he refused to make a public apology.