Nihan: I do not need to apologize, left meeting with Maumoon’s permission

Leader of Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) Parliamentary Group, Vilimale’ MP Ahmed Nihan Hussain Manik has said that the Council members who left the meeting on July 19 had done so with the permission of PPM Leader, former Maldivian President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, and that they therefore did not need to apologize for that.

Nihan made the remark in answer to a question posed by “Sun” after the PPM PG meeting with President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom in Muliaage this Wednesday.

He said that nothing requiring an apology took place during the abandoned Council meeting.

“It was 40 minutes after President Maumoon started the meeting that a general member was allowed to speak. President Maumoon said during the Council meeting that it was not held by request of PG. It will be clear from the minutes. President Maumoon said he held the meeting to go ahead with implementing his reform agenda,” said Nihan.

Nihan said that it was he who spoke as a general member of PPM Council and Leader of PPM PG after Maumoon made his speech.

“I told him that ‘Leader, I say this most respectfully but we won’t be able to continue with this meeting as there are two members who shouldn’t be here even though they are members of the Council. We request leave from this meeting with your permission. I want other PG members to leave along with me.’ And some left. So we left the meeting with his permission,” said Nihan.

He said that he left the meeting “respectfully” and did not say anything disrespectful towards Maumoon.

Maumoon has threatened Council members that no Council meeting would be held until the members who left the meeting on July 19 leading to a loss of quorum, apologized.

Baarah MP Ibrahim Sujau and Central Mafannu MP Asma Rasheed have apologized to Maumoon, while other members, including Nihan have denied any action requiring an apology.