Former ruling Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM) member and current Member of Parliament for Dhihdhoo constituency, Abdul Latheef Mohamed has stated that incumbent President Abdulla Yameen does not truth PPM Parliamentary Group leader Ahmed Nihan Hussain Manik.

Speaking on RaajjeTV’s ‘Fala Surkhee’ program on Sunday evening, Latheef stated that Nihan belongs to the handful of individuals who disappoint President Yameen, adding that the President loathes Nihan. Latheef added that Nihan is not loyal to President Yameen, but his former Vice President, Jailed Ahmed Adeeb Abdul Ghafoor, going on to say that everyone in the ruling party is aware of this.

Highlighting the PG leader’s speeches while campaigning for President Yameen in PPM gatherings, Latheef said that Nihan does not show enthusiasm and passion during these campaigns not out of loyalty, but to strengthen the bond between opposition coalition’s Presidential candidate Ibrahim Mohamed Solih.

The lawmaker added that Nihan does not have the courage to confidently declare that he will cast his vote for former President Yameen, who is vying for re-election in this year’s Presidential Election as candidate number “1”.

Latheef, who previously served in the PPM PG, further said that President Yameen put in his best efforts to have Nihan dismissed as PPM’s PG leader, adding that it was not carried out following several members advice against it.

Moreover, the lawmaker said that most of the PG members of the ruling party will not cast their votes for President Yameen and that they are leaning more towards voting for the opposition coalition’s candidate, Solih, who was officially numbered candidate “2” for the September ballots by the Elections Commission.