Opposition Jumhooree Party (JP) leader Qasim Ibrahim has ridiculed outgoing President Abdulla Yameen and his Progressive Party of the Maldives continue to react to their loss in the Presidential Election held on the 23rd of September.
Qasim stated this at the Jumhooree Party headquarters, having arrived in the Maldives after living in self-exile in Germany for over a year after fleeing his prison conviction of three years, two months and 12 days in prison over bribery allegations pinned on him in August 2017.
“There is nothing they can do after the citizens have spoken, through their votes” said Qasim.
The opposition leader had appealed on citizens to stay within the legal boundaries, resiliently.
“Those who join the reform efforts must stay within the legal ambit, they must not fall to the level those who do everything out of corrupt practices, are in” encouraged Qasim.
Following President Yameen’s statement that the citizens had kicked dirt in his eyes after all the development schemes he had introduced, Qasim stated that the citizens had not done anything of the sort, stating that none of these developments were carried out using his own finances.
“There is no use whining about losing the election. Losing is proof that he had done things wrong. Does he realize the exaggerated prices for which he carried out these development schemes when he talks about them?” posed the opposition leader.
Stressing that President-elect Ibrahim Mohamed Solih’s oath-taking ceremony must be held on the 17th of November, Qasim said this no circumstance must bring a change to the swearing-in date.
Upon Qasim’s arrivals at the Velana International Airport, President-elect Solih and Vice President-elect Faisal Naseem had welcomed him on Thursday afternoon. Qasim’s return comes days after the Supreme Court granted him bail.
Along with Qasim, other self-exiled senior opposition officials returned to Maldives on Thursday, including former Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) chair and current JP president Ali Waheed and Dr. Shah Mahir who recently joined the party.
