Former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom has announced he will not be competing in the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) presidential primary scheduled for next month.
Local media reported that the former president made his decision via a one-page statement declaring: “I have decided not to take part in the PPM presidential primary scheduled to be held on the 30th of next month”.
Gayoom, appointed president of the party earlier this year, stated that “there are people within PPM leadership who are capable of fulfilling the Maldives presidency”.
Gayoom’s statement comes after he told Sun Online on February 19 that he would announce his decision regarding the party’s presidential primaries in nine days.
“I have made a decision, God willing, on how I will proceed. But I do not want to announce it here. When these nine days pass, it will be known whether I will compete or not,” Gayoom told Sun Online earlier this month.
So far, Gayoom’s half-brother PPM MP Abdulla Yameen and PPM Interim Deputy Leader Umar Naseer are the only two candidates competing in the upcoming presidential primary.
Retiring from politics
In February 2010, Gayoom announced that he was retiring from politics after endorsing Ahmed Thasmeen Ali as leader of his former party, the Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP).
However, in September 2011, the former president opted to form the PPM after resigning from his position as ‘Honorary Leader’ (Zaeem) of the DRP.
Speaking to press back in 2011, Gayoom said he made the decision based on the assurance that the DRP would function “according to certain principles.”
“At the time and even up till yesterday, I was at the most senior post of one of the largest political parties in the country,” he said.
“So how can it be said that the person in the highest post of a political party is not involved in politics? Up till yesterday I was in politics. Today I am forced to create a new party because of the state of the nation and because it has become necessary to find another way for the country.”
As “a lot of citizens” had pleaded with him to form a new party, Gayoom said he made the decision to return to Maldivian politics as “a national obligation.”
(0)Dislikes
(0)Related Posts
MVR 11.7 million awarded to nine political parties from state budget
“The current government is failing”: government-aligned PPM- Elections Commission to respond after Supreme Court issues injunction on dissolution of parties
Will form large coalition to “shock” Nasheed if elected: PPM Umar Naseer 
PPM council elected at party’s first ever congress
PPM MP Abdulla Yameen’s campaign team will “accept defeat” should they lose party congress
I wonder if the little chat from USA had anything to do with it? I wish the Maldives the best of luck. Source, this site "The United States Ambassador to Sri Lanka and the Maldives Michele J Sison met with former President and current Progressive Party of Maldives leader Maumoon Abdul Gayoom on Thursday (February 21)."
Well given the obvious hostilities that US, UK, India and other Western countries are showing - Gayoom did a very smart thing. He was playing his cards smartly - till he realised his hands were not strong enough to win.
It's simply not true. No, I am not telling that he is lying. But it's simply not true!!!
I am told PPM has a clause that allows a person who is elected in the primary can pass on his presidential ticket to who ever he/she wants.
Moyamoon's SAHUSIYATH is too large for him to take part in such a low level event.
Heyo nuvaane Maniku faanoo kuri mathi lahvaa, aadheys kohfa mibunanee.
The old bandicoot still has an ace up his sleeve! Watchout!
Do ye not know how the mind of a fantastic snake works? It remains hidden. It does not have to contest elections to remain in power. In fact its better and easier to operate from the shadows.
Maumoon will remain in FULL control. It is not just his decision, it is an agreement yes, but it is also planned from the point of control. Maumoon and his legion of bandits seek to keep British interests and Christians at bay. They feel there is a threat to Maldives. This is what unites them, this will keep even Gasim within Maumoonism.
and nobody really is sacred of america anymore.
MDP is an island. Only its people get this hate they spew at MAG. Ganjaaboa is their dear-leader (but that's okay!)
apolitical inside view btw
Don't believe a thing this power hungry delusional ex dictator says. Elderly gentleman, yes, human being, perhaps, that much respect is deserved, but his has been the most disgraceful leadership in all our history, very closely followed by the current coup puppet leader. No doubt about it, unless you were on the take and even then I think its time to have a conscience. Shame shame shame.Sooner or later his time will come, as it does for us all, dictators have a way of forgetting that e.g. Mugabe et al.
I might also add that t is extremely dangerous to insult Maumoon or family, within the 6km2 island of male` ... we have hero's for that reason I suppose. But MDP is not armed, and maumoonism will attack with deadly force (this is just beginning i fear- expect persecution later).
Do not forget the first round of the 2008 presidential elections..
Gayoom (DRP) 40.3%
Nasheed (MDP) 24.9%
............
It was with the support of the coalition, Gasim(JP), Hassan Saeed(DQP), Ibra and Adaalath party that Anni managed to reach 50% on second round to win the elections..
............
Though we won't see Gayoom this time, We will see a similar kind of scenario this year, but Anni will be all alone this time..
Never fear. He will change his mind sooner or later. A leopard cannot change its spots.
Fili Nasheed and his associates will try to twist the story as usual.
Maumoon is not a nut lie Fili Nasheed and he is much more smarter than the Fili Nasheed and Gayyoom can not be manipulated like Fili Nasheed.
This time, Fili Nasheed will not be able to contest and he need to be put on trial for the crimes he had committed.
"I have made a decision, God willing, on how I will proceed. But I do not want to announce it here. When these nine days pass, it will be known whether the rat Nasheed can be barred from contesting, paving the way for me to become Pharaoh once more"
"Damn it, I was this close....now I shall have contend to rule the roost by proxy, just not as fun"
I told them to shoot at ground and I told them to shoot in the Air. But at last he shot between his both legs. Ha.
Again he is trying a fast game, he will put some in front like what he has already done.Idiot on the Nation.
We dont need him. He created this mess in this country. Go away. As far as you can.
Did I say I will not compete in the election...I only said I will not be a candidate in the primary...So if I need to protect the country from foreign influence and protect it's religion I can certainly contest as a private candidate. Could this be his line? Well the man is so uncertain anything could happen.
And Ilyas has emerged as a candidate, very interesting. Wonder how Yaamyn feels to see his beloved big brother favouring Ilyas.
We dont Need Illiyas and Gayoom , we need people under 40 years.
This does not mean he is opting out the option of running for the Presidency. My hunch is that this guy is going to run for Presidency in his own name. Or else, get the person who wins PPM's primary to step down and handover the candidacy to this man. This Gayoom man has an King-size ego and he doesn't think he should contest in a primary, instead he thinks that it is his birthright to be endorsed as his party's presidential candidate without any contest!! Oh man, this is one of heck of guy!!
Dr. Waheed by being weak is paradoxically the strongest.
No political party can come up with a majority, so they will opt for a 'weak puppet'. Thats how Waheed would remain.
Infact, Waheed has now defined himself as a 'team man'. He has managed a very technical team and must be congratulated.
We know Anni cannot manage a team. He is too hands on. And Gayoom cannot resist bringing his family and friends.
The present chaos is GOOD for Waheed. Waheed also enjoy more foreign support than Anni and Maumoon.
I also believe that the old snake has a few more aces up his sleeve.
@crystal: You are right up to a point. Waheed is a team up but up to the point where he is allowing Jameel, Nazim, Shaheem and others to walk all over him. He allows them to operate but doesn't call them out if they do something illegal.
Currently the only person with the most international support is Nasheed. You do know how many international got involved when he trapped himself in the Indian High Commission don't you?
Does Maumoon really support Ilyas?
Apparently, Ilyas's Father was a very powerful man, in a political, economic AND cultural sense.
Yet, as a Justice Minister, so was Maumoon's Father, and so was Abdullah Hameed - Maumoon's Brother - in the Nasir Government.
One gets the impression that Maumoon was caught up in a duel over who would control him, his Father's Family or his Wife's Family.
Most of you may know this story. When the Government in Male' wanted to get rid of the British (based in Addu but entering Male' on business occassionally), the Patriarch of Endhiramage' blew some enchanted smoke in the direction of the British ships, and recited some Fanditha charm to get rid of the British! Many believed it worked!
I often wonder if Maumoon came into power thanks largely to the support of his Wife's Father. Then I wonder, if there is some chance that Ilyas and Abbas hide some secret resentment towards their own Sister and Maumoon, for the fact that it may have appeared to them that their Father supported their SISTER over THEM? I am making that part up(might make for a good fiction but I doubt it could be true) but I guess I wonder if THAT was the explanation for why Ilyas stole millions from Maldives and fled to Singapore. Perhaps, secretly, he believed it was his RIGHT as the SON of he who helped Maumoon into power, maybe he felt he was the MORE legitimate candidate to rule?
Yes, I made up the above paragraph, but, in true Maldivian style, why ruin a good story with truth, doh?
Anyway, when a ruler lives in a collosal palace with a fleet of fancy cars whilst many of his people live in rooms the size of boxes, fanciful fictions and conspiracy theories against him are the least of what he deserves.