Ex-Pres. Maumoon to return to Maldives tonight

Former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom is to return to the Maldives on Wednesday night.

While there has been reports that former president had remained abroad out of fear of arrest, RaajjeMV understands that he will land at Velana International Airport at around 10 pm today, and reach the capital Malé City by 10:30 pm.

Maumoon left the country on March 8, so that his wife, former First Lady Nasreena Ibrahim could remain close to her ill sister, Fareesha. Fareesha passed away on May 31, while receiving treatment in Singapore.

Despite being abroad for over three months, the former President has remained vocal about the current political situation in the country. In March, all major opposition parties entered into a coalition. Maumoon signed the agreement on behalf of his faction of the ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM), along with former President Mohamed Nasheed for Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), Qasim Ibrahim for Jumhooree Party and Sheikh Imran Abdulla for Adhaalath Party.

The ruling PPM has been divided into two factions since June 2016, with Maumoon withdrawing support for his brother, incumbent President Abdulla Yameen’s government in October.