Vice President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik met with a senior delegation of opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) leaders last night at midnight on their request, Minivan News has learned.
Members of the press waited outside the residence of the Vice President seeking comment from the delegation when they emerged, however the delegation declined to comment and quickly rushed away.
The media noted that members of the delegation included the DRP Deputy Leaders Umar Naseer and Ilham Ahmed, and MPs Ahmed Mahlouf and Ali Arif.
Today DRP MP Ahmed Nihan told Minivan News that during the meeting the delegates discussed the constitutional issues faced by the country, and asked Dr Waheed how he might react should President Nasheed be removed from office.
”MP Mahlouf told me they met the vice president and clarified what would be his reaction in the event this government was toppled by a no-confidence motion in parliament, or overthrown in any case,” said Nihan. ”I do not have detailed information.”
Nihan accused President Nasheed of failing to uphold the constitution, and “unlawfully locking” the Supreme Court.
Dr Waheed himself did not respond to Minivan News at time of press, however Minivan News understands that the Vice President was non-committal, and explained that such matters were the DRP’s prerogative. He allegedly claimed he would not speak out against the current government, or run for President in 2013 should such a scenario arise, but would continue with the programs of the current government. The topic of who would become Vice President in such a situation was not raised, Minivan News understands.
The government last month accused several MPs, including Jumhoree Party (JP) MP Gasim Ibrahim and People’s Alliance (MP) Abdulla Yameen, of bribery and treason after six ruling-party MDPs informed the President that they had been offered bribes to vote against the government.
The opposition has a majority in parliament but not the two-thirds majority it would require to impeach the President or Vice-President, for which it would require the votes of MDP MPs as well as independents.
DRP Spokesperson and deputy leader Ibrahim Shareef said he had no information that a party delegation had met with the vice president in an official capacity.
‘’All I know is that no person from the DRP has met with the vice president officially. I am not saying that they did not meet, but if it was an official meeting, it would be approved by the party council,’’ said Shareef.
DRP MP Abdulla Mausoom said that if the party wished to disclose information on the matter, “we will call for a press meeting.”
DRP MP Ahmed Mahlouf and DRP Deputy Leader Umar Naseer were not responding at time of press.
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I think we Need some one like VP Dr Waheed to be our president, He is a respected personality and who is capable of running a government with opposition control parliament. VP is a very diplomatic person who can listen to opposition. he knows he is the VP of this nation not a VP of particular party, he is not like president Nasheed. In support Dr Waheed to be next president of Maldives.
last time when VP criticized the government, the MDP decided to cut off ties with VP political party and remove all political appointees. VP is been threaten always. he has no choice but to SHUT UP.
@Ibn Mahudhy...
Seriously, you must be joking...
What is there to prove Dr Waheed's capability?
Just because he worked in some at a senior job at some UN Agency doesn't mean he can run a country.
And here is the news...
UN is THE most corrupt global organization.
People who work for UN work there for the fat salary and status they get.
Most of their time at work is spent on scratching each others' back to get either consultancy deals or job promotions.
They get rich from the money that is paid as assistance to the poorer nations.
And do you think Dr Waheed is an exception?
No thanks. No Dr Waheed as our president ever.
Vice President Waheed is one of the few among this government who secretly collobrated with DRP and PA..now its done openly! Dr.Waheed needs presidency in this term and wants to finish off his carrier as an ex-president!! That what Dr.Waheed needs and has been dreaming for years!! On the other front Dr.Waheed does no contribution to this country except when ever some brave guys bring him to a post and he goes off or blame the system! He is a coward! He brough Mr.Mohamed Rasheed as a Economic Minister (his old time friend) who is mere therapist and has no knowledge of running a ministry..and thereby the country saw a trade minister so weak and he signed Hanimaadho airport MOU with GMR while he admited on Radio after he resigned that he didn't know what was in the agreement! Some one please have a chat with this guy for an hour..you would know how shallow and egoist this guy is! But Dr.Waheed wanted him to be Trade mInister!..just becoz his old buddy! Also look at other GIP political appointments..majority was his family associates! Dr.Waheed has no interest nor motivation to fight for the issues ordinary Maldivians face evertday! He is just a puppet of DRP! Also I would add he is also controlled by his wife and family!
I like the idea. Dr waheed is a smart and capable man. I respect him more than any other politician.
Dr. Waheed is a pragmatic person. Nasheed should resign and let Waheed takeover until 2013.
Dr Waheed may be a diplomatic individual and keen to listen to the opposition etc. But the fact is he is the VP. The President is in a rather different position. There's a lot of Constitutional responsibility laid on the head of the President. He needs to be decisive and sometimes take unpopular action to stabilise the country and uphold the laws of the land.
I think Ibn Mahudhy needs to learn how to use capital and simple letters first!
Waheed is a man who could take us from this Minikaa raajje to our real raajje. Good he discuss issues with the opposition. And thanks for Mahloof, Umar, Ilham and Arif for trying to find a way through from this crisis. Please try to throw anni and get Waheed to rule the government.
The Vice President at least is willing to meet with DRP. To form relationships with them as well as the ruling MDP. It is only in this spirit of working with each other instead of against each other that we can move forward as a country.
Even with this meeting he apparently did not just give in to DRP and accept everything that they said, but rather say that they have a right to pursue whatever action they see fit given their political restraints. It seems as though he is the only one out of ever political person in this country who is making and effort to stay neutral an work with other regardless of their views.
And the fact that he said that if they do take a "vote of no confidence, or over throw" Anni, Dr. Waheed said that he will run the government according to the Manifesto and will NOT run in 2013. He will sacrifice his chance to become President in 2013 after having run the government in order to do the better for this country. Who else is welling to sacrifice like that. He is the only unselfish politican in this country. Get rid of Anni. Put Dr. Waheed into the Presidency.
I am yet to understand what is going on in this country!!!
The "mess" we have today clearly sits with the DRPPA and their supporters in parliament blocking the bills called for in the constitution. It is the Majlis that failed us, not the executive.
If the DRP was seriously concerned about us, and our country, they would ask Speaker Abdulla Shahid to resign, not President Nasheed. better still, if they had any remorse, conscience or decency they would resign from their positions as peoples repreentatives. For they have failed the people, and failed badly.
From all that is happening it is clear to me that we still have to find a leader smarter than Nasheed. This is a President who refused to walk the path of revenge despite all the injustice he suffered from Gayoom, and allowed the parasites of the former regime to roam free drinking our blood for the last two years as they did for 30 years.
Well, President, the 2 years that you waited patiently for the wolves and jackals to come out of the woods has paid off. Brilliant work, Anni. Well done.
You have proven your capacity fpr leadership in governance as well as in opposition. Time now to clean up and move on. The nation stands behind you.
The “mess” we have today clearly sits with the DRPPA and their supporters in parliament blocking the bills called for in the constitution. It is the Majlis that failed us, not the executive.
If the DRP was seriously concerned about us, and our country, they would ask Speaker Abdulla Shahid to resign, not President Nasheed. Better still, if they had any remorse, conscience or decency they would resign from their positions as peoples representatives. For they have failed the people, and failed badly.
From all that is happening it is clear to me that we still have to find a leader smarter than Nasheed. This is a President who refused to walk the path of revenge despite all the injustice he suffered from Gayoom, and allowed the parasites of the former regime to roam free drinking our blood for the last two years as they did for 30 years.
Well, Mr President, the 2 years that you waited patiently for the wolves and jackals to come out of the woods has paid off. Hasn't it? Brilliant work, Anni. Well done.
You have proven your capacity for leadership in governance as well as in opposition. Time now to clean up and move on. The nation stands behind you.
DRP Coalition holds the majority in Majlis. The Majlis has failed to complete the laws, appoint supreme court judges and independent commissions. The most incompetent and highest paid lot i know.
What if people start saying nasty things to Dr Waheed? He might want to go back to US or Europe. I think Waheed is a good diplomat but he does not have the strength or will-power to last the hardship of being a president. His fright-fight-flight hormone is too heavily weighted towards the flight end.
i feel very sorry for our president. As the people have lost their faith on him. we need a patriotic leader who can lead get us out from this mess and lead us to a safe shore. people have had a good experience of the new Maldives which these thugs have been claiming and we don't want stay there anymore.
Dr Waheed has clear precedent to follow-- the example of the Vice President of the first Republic, Mr Ibrahim Didi. If you can't do what he did, don't waste your time thinking about things you cannot do. And of course Waheed is not a Didi!
The fact Dr.Waheed is meeting DRP thugs (Mahloof, Arif, Iham, Umar) AND NOT DRP intellects or real politicians (Dr.Mausoom, Thasmeen, Thasmeen's wife, Hamdoon..etc) is pure fact that Dr.Waheed is controlled by DRP thugs using a DRP proxy (GIP SG Toppy) in his party! Also it shows Dr.Waheed wants presidency at any cost rather than negotiation! Dr.Waheed wants to outset President Nasheed and get power..while DRP thugs would really control. I guess Dr.Waheed is an intellect-CUNNING B****** in this case! Shame you Dr.Waheed!
Well said Khadeeja!
frankly speaking, if anni have any love to this nation. he should resign and let dr. waheed to take over the remaining days of the presidency
Salim Waheed maybe able to explain what his dad is upto.
wheres is his excellency Mr.Salim Waheed to defend his dad?
Salim is preparing his home work to get ready to move into Mulee -aage. His Dad is dreaming of take over with DRP Thugs.
its unlikely that anni will go without a fight if they try a no confidence motion. so its best for the country if he resigns and handover the government to waheed peacefully. im sure waheed could at least unite this country.
Be Aware! Perhaps @Naseem is right!
Dr. Waheed as a peace loving person will be very much different from what he will appear to be, if he is made head of state with the backing of the thugs he met!
It seems Mr. Umar Zahir has somethings up his sleeve even in old age!
Dr. Waheed is an "A" grade student of the old headmaster!
Fully agree with Khadeeja that we have yet to find a smarter or more genuine leader than Nasheed, especially among the lot that we currently see in our political arena. Or one who understands the Maldivian psyche better or is more dedicated to entrenching democracy in this country. I am also sure that there is no one else who could have withstood the pressures from all sides without resorting to revenge.
We have had an almost unique set of circumstances in this country - an ex-political prisoner as president through a popular vote for change, an ex-regime that includes several corrupt fatcats dominating the parliament and blocking many reforms, an ex-president who continued on in politics and refuses to acknowledge any significant wrongdoing under his watch, a 'ruling' party which has many people who seek revenge upon the old regime, a judiciary in the grip of corrupt loyalists of the old regime, an extremely unaware public caught up in social turmoil, a culture of dependency, many highly vocal but inexperienced politicians, immature independent institutions, narrow religious thought, and a practically bankrupt and indebted nation heavily dependent on external sources for development and growth.
People may not realise yet, just how well President Nasheed has navigated this terrain despite some blunders, but time will tell and it will be written in history. May he and his team be guided well in the future.
All the clean-life-loving Maldivians love President Nasheed and also the International Community calls him as their Global President...So no doubt, he is okay...tackling difficult problems like fighting CORRUPTION after a long 30 year old DICTATORSHIP he is really showing his capability unlike our ex President...Our ex President usually puts politicians in jail to solve very mild and much simpler problems...If u look at how President Nasheed made the DRP agree with MDP in passing Bill on Judges u can imagine how wise and capable he is my dear
so, power and authority is the only that matters to idiots like Nihan? Maldives is in a constitutional void and DRP wants power. those MPs are elected by the people but it seems like the MPs are acting on their own interest. maybe they think they dont owe us anything because they "bought" votes to get elected?
DRP MPs are talking to overthrow the president because they have no understanding of political system and the constitution they are trying to destabilize the gov. They do not understand the rule of game and furthermore are not even patient to win a election. Well they first must be responsible to their voters and to the citizen, they have failed to pass bills and to bring peace, social justice and development. They are in a high position even now though they do not deserve it but all of them think they can be presidents but forget that only one person be president at a time. most of all they blame others while they need to think their mistakes and responsibilities ...
Is DRP splitting!! Looks like every one in DRP wants to be the president. I guess they are so eager to over throw the government, they do not know what they can do now. Wake up you fools. It is not so easy to over throw a government. Especially by a corrupt bunch of idiotic opposition led by corrupt goons from the ex government. Try to clear your backside first. It smells sh...t still and the people of Maldives is not that dumb. Your members at the parliament are today taken as comedians (unqualified)and a laughing stock. You are too faraway to reach the leadership of Maldives..yet
Dr.Waheed..Presidency? My A**!! He is Waheed come and go! He only can ride a smooth ship! Maldivian Politics is yet to be smooth for next 25 years! believe me!! We need to clean both DRP, Yameen's so called party, Dr.Hassan's so called party, Gasim's so called party thugs from this system!! Its apparent Dr.Waheed is controlled by DRP thugs!! Waheed is a lazy b*****!! he can't raise his finger without the help of his wife or his family!