Representatives of former Presidents Mohamed Nasheed, Abdulla Yameen, and Ibrahim Mohamed Solih have expressed high hopes for a successful joint effort to challenge the current administration’s policies.
The representatives held a meeting at the Manhattan Business Hotel in Male' today at 11:30 am. Following the session, former MDP Chairperson Fayyaz Ismail, who represents Nasheed on the joint committee, told reporters that the former presidents would now present these matters to their respective political parties.
"We will take these issues to our parties, and through internal deliberations, we will determine the path forward," Fayyaz said.
Nasheed and Solih belong to the main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), while Yameen is the leader of the People’s National Front (PNF). It is expected that the MDP’s National Council and the PNF’s Senate will be consulted to approve the implementation of the proposals put forward by the three former leaders.
"We are very hopeful that by working together as an opposition, we can effectively address and rectify the direction the country is currently heading in," said Fayyaz, who served as Economic Minister in the previous administration.
The representatives also announced that further updates would be provided to the media in the coming days.
In addition to Fayyaz, Nasheed is represented on the committee by former Deputy Speaker of Parliament Eva Abdulla. Solih is represented by former Deputy Speaker Ahmed Saleem and former Alifushi MP Mohamed Rasheed Hussain. Yameen’s representatives include former Minister Mohamed Maleeh Jamal and former independent mayoral candidate Ismail Zariyand.
During a press conference on Friday night, the three former presidents announced their decision to work together. However, they clarified that this collaboration is not a formal coalition for a presidential election.
Expressing concern over the current state of the nation, the three leaders called for reforms to address government irregularities and to restore stability to the country.
In a joint statement, the former presidents alleged that basic rights are being infringed upon and that executive influence over the judiciary has increased significantly. Following their meeting, they agreed to unite in their efforts for national reform.
The three leaders concluded that all political stakeholders must work together to bring the country back on the right track.
