Self-exiled former President Mohamed Nasheed has said that President Abdulla Yameen has been isolated by his own people and cast aside because of his various acts of tyranny to cling onto power.

The former President joined the mass opposition gathering at the carnival area, the largest one of it’s kind to be held after a hiatus of three years, on Saturday night

Addressing the audience via video conference, Nasheed said that it is not that the citizens are not impressed by the current government’s development projects, but that the citizens disapprove of the acts of corruption and theft.

Nasheed said that the citizens do not like the hefty sums of embezzled money under the very noses of government officials.

Nasheed, also the leader of main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), said that the people also disapprove of the illegitimate use it Zakat payments and dates received from the Saudi Kingdom every Ramadan.

Highlighting that development is not just constructing fancy buildings, Nasheed said that development is raising the income of citizens, going on to say that national innovation has plummeted ever since President Yameen came into power.

The opposition leader also stressed on the reduction of income for fishermen, the hike in prices in the local market well as the reduction in spending for social protection.

“A unity government will ensure single mothers, orphans and the elderly receive proper care. Every single Maldivian will be taken care of by an opposition-led government. A unity government will also ensure stable and adequate lives will be provided across the nation.” said Nasheed.

The self-exiled former President also went on to say that President Yameen has his vice presidents, ministers, police commissioners, opposition members of parliament and all of the opposition leaders either imprisoned, or driven out of the country. For this reason, Nasheed said that President Yameen does not have the support of citizens, and that he will be defeated by a large margin in the upcoming Presidential Election.

Nasheed also stressed on the absurd decision by the current government to withdraw from the commonwealth and to sever bilateral ties with Iran and Qatar. Following such issues, Nasheed said that President Yameen has been labelled as a true dictator driven by authoritarianism.

“President Yameen had ordered for the arrest of Supreme Court Justices following which officers had climbed into the building over the roof. President Yameen has the parliament under his clutches by dispatching officers to its premises. He has created private institutions and taken over them. These institutions are not free. He has meddled with the government, he has turned the rule of law upside down, he has terrorized the country. With the will of God, basic rights of citizens will be restored very soon,” said Nasheed.