If it means defeating former president Nasheed, I am willing to declare support for Yameen: Umar

Umar Naseer, Progressive Party of Maldives’ presidential primary candidate who recently lost to Abdulla Yameen, has said that he is willing to declare support for Yameen in order to defeat the Maldivian Democratic Party’s (MDP) presidential candidate Mohamed Nasheed.

It would be very difficult for Yameen to rally a large number of people behind him if he loses the first round of presidential elections, says Umar.

Speaking during DhiTV’s Khabaruthereyn program, Umar said that he too is reluctant to stand behind Yameen, but will do so if it that is what is required to defeat former president Mohamed Nasheed.

“The reality is that a lot of people don’t want to stand behind Yameen. I don’t want to either, but I will do so if it means defeating Mohamed Nasheed,” Umar said.

He said that he is still convinced that forming a wide coalition for the first round of elections is the best thing to do, and reasoned that he cannot comprehend the danger it poses for the country if former president Mohamed Nasheed gains the presidency again.

Umar also said that he will not declare support for a single candidate during the first round of elections if they fail to form a coalition, reasoning that a failure to form a coalition during the first round would only result in disagreements and a waste of money.

“They have to restrain their own personal needs. To come forwards with a realization that the country comes first. Or the country will suffer this time. If the country suffers this time, there will be no one to come and save it again. Previously, we all came together willing to die, by going to jail, by having tear gas thrown on ourselves, by defeating the people who came at us with knifes, we have brought down Mohamed Nasheed. Nobody will be there to bring down Mohamed Nasheed again, if he wins the votes this time,” Umar said.

Umar said that the fact that former president Nasheed has the opportunity to compete in the upcoming presidential elections and that fact that he had the opportunity to go to Denmark and say whatever he pleased were clear signs that the rule of law is not upheld in the Maldives. He said that former president Nasheed would be in jail if the law is properly implemented in the country.

“It is the result of the failure of our legal system, that Mohamed Nasheed had the opportunity to go Denmark to say those things. The fact that he is allowed to compete in the presidential elections is a clear example that the law cannot be executed within us. We defeated Mohamed Nasheed during his presidency after handing him the key to the country, and the key to the armory, and everything else. Then we handed him over to the relevant authorities of the State to sentence him according to the law. In relation to different issues, a number of ministers are saying that we will keep him prison for a very long time. The reality is that the law could not be implemented upon Mohamed Nasheed, even after two years had passed. It is a large failure on part of the government. Our state has to become a State that implements the law. If it is a State that implements law, Mohamed Nasheed would not be in Denmark. He will be in jail,” Umar said.

Umar criticized the government during his appearance in last night’s program, and said that the top government official have failed in their duties.

He said that the if the top government officials had any courage, former president Nasheed and the people who set fire in Addu City and Gaafu Dhaalu Thinadhoo would be in jail today.

“I believe that there is a leadership failure within us. The leadership of the people who are at the top of our government. They lack the courage, to produce these results. If they had the dedication, he would have received the sentence. Where are all the crimes he committed, all the places that were put to the torch on February 08th? The detention of Abdulla Ghazee? How many crimes did he commit? The amount of alcohol that was brought out of Muliyaage, where are they? How many crimes did he commit? But has were we able to punish for a single crime? Upon him, or the people around him, were we able to sentence any one of them?” Umar said.