The current government is my opposition: Shahid

Former MDP President Abdulla Shahid has stated that his current opponents are the ruling PNC government.

Speaking on RaajjeTV’s "Fashaairu" program, Shahid stated that his campaign activities would be conducted alongside his competitors. He further noted that success in the primary would be impossible without the support of MDP members.

Noting that the MDP primary is a competitive process, Shahid stated that the party members contesting against him are not opponents, but rather fellow competitors.

While this is a competitive primary, I do not believe any of the candidates are my opponents. They are my competitors. My true opposition is the current government. Therefore, my campaign will be conducted alongside my competitors, as I cannot achieve this goal without them.

Abdulla Shahid

Shahid stated that the MDP functions as a political party only when its members remain united, noting that achieving success would be difficult without solidarity. He further emphasized that the primary objective of the MDP must be to transform the Maldives into a self-sufficient nation and to secure a prosperous future for its citizens.

We are the MDP because we stand together. If we fail to achieve that unity, we cannot succeed. Similarly, our opponents will also find success impossible if they do not remain united. We all share a much larger and more noble objective: to transform the Maldives into a prosperous nation and to secure a better future for our most vulnerable citizens.

Abdulla Shahid

Since 2013, Shahid has been at the forefront of the MDP's leadership. On August 14, he officially announced his intention to contest the MDP primary to secure the party's nomination for the upcoming 2028 presidential election.

Shahid has previously served as the Speaker of the People's Majlis. Additionally, he has held the positions of Foreign Minister of the Maldives and President of the MDP.