Maumoon refuses to handover PPM to Yameen

Leader of Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM), former Maldivian President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom has declared that the Civil Court ruling did not require handover running of PPM to President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom, requesting that it be kept on hold until he appeals the ruling.

Maumoon, during a press conference at PPM office this Sunday, said that the post of “advisor” was just a symbolic post.

He cited Article 57 (c) of PPM Constitution, and said that the “advisor” of the party did not have any authority over the management of the party.

He said that allegations that PPM office was rendered stagnant was make-believe stories, and that the Civil Court decision this Sunday morning had been based on just that.

“The court ruling does not instruct the management of party office to be handed over to a particular individual. Now the former deputy leader of the party, who is no longer the deputy leader… Abdul Raheem Abdulla calls and says he’s coming to take over the party office as per instructions of the party’s advisor. Now this can’t be done. I’m sorry but this can’t be done.

The court ruling provides no instruction to hand over party office to someone,” said Maumoon.

He said that the party’s constitution had clear instructions on how and why the leader of the party can lose his seat.

He cited Article 55 of PPM Constitution and said that the leader of the party can be removed from his position when his term in office is up, when a court sentences him over a crime, when he loses a vote of no confidence taken against him, or when he is rendered permanently unable to perform the responsibilities of the position.

Maumoon said that since nothing of the sort had taken place, his authority as Leader of PPM cannot be marginalized.

“So when none of this had taken place, how can the court rule to marginalize me. This is not acceptable to me,” he said.

Maumoon said that handing over running of the party to its advisor would lead to loss of the true purpose of why PPM was founded in the first place.

He said that the Head of State or government of any country running the ruling party was simply just not done anywhere in the world.