Gayoom reiterates support for awarding tickets to a dozen 'unseated' lawmakers
Back in November, the coalition leaders received immense criticism following reports that they had assured the lawmakers- who were recently reinstated after 15 months- coalition tickets without a prim
Ruling coalition leaders with President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih and Vice President Faisal Naseem
One of the coalition leaders, former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom has reiterated his support for awarding tickets to the 12 unseated lawmakers for the April 2019 parliamentary elections, without a primary.
Back in November, the coalition leaders received immense criticism following reports that they had assured the lawmakers- who were recently reinstated after 15 months- coalition tickets without a primary.
In a series of tweets sent out on Thursday, Gayoom said that the hard work and sacrifices made by the 12 MPs to end the previous administration's tyranny and to get incumbent President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih elected, must be recognized.
He added that he still stands by the coalition partner's agreement to give them coalition tickets for the parliamentary elections.
The ruling coalition consists of Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), Jumhooree Party (JP), Adhaalath Party (AP) and former President Maumoon's Maumoon Reform Movement (MRM).
The 12 lawmakers were deemed to have lost their seats after they supported an impeachment motion against then Speaker Abdulla Maseeh Mohamed, subsequently leaving the ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM). They were dismissed using a floor crossing ruling issued days after their departure from the party, with the Elections Commission deciding that the ruling will be applied retrospectively. Supreme Court, in October this year, ruled that the Commission had misapplied the ruling in unseating the lawmakers.
After the MP's meeting with Maldivian Democratic Party leader former President Mohamed Nasheed in early November, reports surfaced that he had guaranteed them party tickets for the parliamentary election, without having to go through a primary.
Not long after, Gayoom tweeted that “all coalition partners have already agreed to support the candidacy of the 12 MPs in their respective constituencies without going through a primary."
However, following the public backlash from party members, Nasheed said that MDP should have primaries to elect its parliamentary candidates.
