Ahmed Adeeb, jailed former Vice President of the current administration, has claimed that incumbent President Abdulla Yameen has always hated his half-brother and opposition leader, former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom.

Adeeb, who was a trusted confidante of President Yameen, said in a statement that Yameen had once given an order to destroy every monument built during Gayoom’s 30-year rule.

In the statement, Adeeb said Yameen’s long-simmering hatred had led him to narrow Gayoom’s power in ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM).

Adeeb said that President Yameen began side-lining Gayoom and his team after Yameen won the presidency, and that Yameen had also opened a PPM office of his own for that purpose.

“The difference is President Yameen’s office had people who wasn’t experienced or well-known. The result being that the government failed in the local council election.”

Adeeb claimed that during this time he had repeatedly told Yameen that he needed Gayoom’s support to win a second term, which angered Yameen.

He added that Gayoom did nothing wrong, and that he’s only being targeted for calling out on President Yameen’s unlawful actions and jailing of politicians.

Adeeb goes on to say that Yumna Maumoon and MP Faris Maumoon, Gayoom’s children and Yameen’s niece and nephew, are being targeted for not responding to Yameen’s every whim with “Yes, sir!” or “Noted, sir!”