Speaker Mohamed Nasheed criticized President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih's health at a Democrats rally last night out of desperation because the opposition lacks any policies to sell to voters, the president’s spokesman has said.
President’s Office Spokesman Miuvaan Mohamed told Adhadhu that the president was in good health and that Nasheed was out of ideas.
“Those remarks are intended to sow discord when they don’t have anything to sell to the public politically,” Miuvaan said, countering Nasheed’s allegation about the president suffering from heart disease.
Miuvaan said he expected more rhetoric similar to what Nasheed said in a mocking tone last night. The remarks were the result of failing to accept the country’s political reality, he said.
Nasheed heavily criticized President Solih at Sunday night’s rally.
“What I have to say repeatedly to MDP [Maldivian Democratic Party] members is that your president and your candidate is forced to eat a fistful of medicine every morning. Your candidate’s heart illness, your candidate’s health condition, these are things that have to be considered,” Nasheed said.
President Solih, who is contesting in the September 9 election on the MDP ticket, is 61 years old. Nasheed is five years younger than his estranged friend. He is now 56.
Jumhooree Party (JP) presidential candidate Qasim Ibrahim is 71 years of age. Former president Abdulla Yameen, who has been awarded the ticket of the opposition Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM), is 64 years old.
Despite calling for handing power to a young generation, Nasheed competed against President Solih in the MDP’s presidential primary on January 28.
