Most PPM members plan to vote for President Waheed: Rozaina

Forward With The Nation coalition member Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party’s (DRP) Deputy Leader Rozaina Adam has said that most members of the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) plan to vote for President Dr Mohamed Waheed.

Speaking at a press conference by Forward With The Nation coalition this afternoon, Rozaina said that there is great support for President Waheed in the atolls, and that several members of PPM in the atolls do not want to vote for PPM presidential candidate Abdullah Yameen.

She said that several people who line up on the streets to greet former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom when he visits islands, have said that they do not plan to vote for Yameen.

“We met several people who support PPM, who have their houses painted PPM’s colour. But several of them said that even though they are members of PPM, they would not vote for Yameen. We asked them how they feel about President Waheed, and we did not meet a single person who was dissatisfied with President Waheed. Of course, there would be people within MDP [Maldivian Democratic Party] who are dissatisfied with President Waheed,” she said.

Rozaina said that a great number of PPM members noted that President Waheed is a capable, persevering person, and that she was confident that several people who had painted their houses PPM’s colour would in fact vote for President Waheed.

Gaumee Itthihad member Ahmed Shareef said that 80 percent of people who are not actively involved in politics will vote for President Waheed.

He referred to Gayoom’s request from his supporters to vote for PPM’s presidential candidate Yameen, and said that ‘elder brother being successful does not necessarily mean that younger brother would also be successful’.

He also said that PPM is no longer run in line with Gayoom’s policies.

Referring to PPM’s recent complaints regarding the Elections Commission, Shareef said that PPM is trying to make excuses to not accept the vote results.

He said that the Elections Commission has to improve on some minor things but they are not biased, and assured that Forward With The Nation coalition has full confidence in the commission.