A group of around 15 Jumhoree Party (JP) supporters demonstrated outside the Dharubaruge convention centre this morning ahead of a delayed Elections Commission (EC) briefing to unveil the country’s provisional election results.
The crowd called for the resignation of EC President Fuwad Thowfeek amidst uncertainty over hours of delays to the results being unveiled and allegations on social media of a discrepancy in vote numbers.
When the press conference did take place – some six hours after originally scheduled – Thowfeek dismissed these claims but said the EC’s complaints department would investigate any reported irregularities.
“Fuwad Thowfeek, resign,” the dozen-strong crowd chanted outside . “Just because you wife is MDP [Maldivian Democratic Party], it doesn’t mean you can steal 10,000 votes.”
The initial results filtering through local media had shown that JP leader Gasim Ibrahim narrowly lost out on a place in the second round of voting, with the MDP and the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) candidates gaining more votes.
The EC’s final results have since revealed the PPM’s Abdulla Yameen beating Gasim to the run-off by 2,677 votes. MDP candidate Mohamed Nasheed took the largest share of the vote with 95,224 votes. Incumbent President Dr Mohamed Waheed tallied 10,750 votes – just over five percent of the popular vote.
However, the results had been noted for their confusing presentation, with sluggish EC figures supplemented by differing poll results, depending on the outlet chosen. One local newspaper even had a set of voting figures that equated to 102 percent.
“Fuwad Thowfeek resign”
The highly agitated group, led by Youth Wing leader Moosa Anwar, surrounded the door to the building before falling back upon learning that the EC officials were not yet on the premises. With encouragement from a handful of newly arrived police, the group were soon ushered toward the road, where they sat and continued to chant.
One member of the group told Minivan News that they were calling to have the vote recast, before producing his phone. The tweet displayed on the screen detailed a set of results for Kunahandhoo, in Laamu Atoll – showing 438 eligible voters, but 690 votes cast.
Minivan News was also shown the examples of Paradise resort, and Hinnavaru – both reported with similar anomalous numbers.
Another JP supporter explained that they had learned of the potential problem via the media, and had filed an official complaint.
“Please help us – we want to vote,” one protester said who had heard turnout figure as high as 93 percent. “If they say they will look into it, we will go away.”
The crowd were soon joined by JP MP’s Shifag Mufeed and Ilham Ahmed, as well as party spokesperson Moosa Ramiz, who said he was unable to speak with the media until the party had clarified its position.
Tempers flared at around 4:30 am, with the group suddenly charging the police in an attempt to get into the convention centre. MP Shifag made the most progress before the police forced them all back on to Ameenee Magu.
Shortly after this, the press were invited to go back into the building, and the small crowd began to recede. Commissioner Thowfeek soon arrived to give the long-awaited provisional results.
He gave the final turnout figure as 88 percent (of 239,593 people were eligible to vote), adding that he had not yet had a chance to examine the complaints, although he did state that no person of “sound mind” would believe that 10,000 additional votes could have been cast in the presence of monitors and observers.
Transparency Maldives – who ran the most comprehensive observation operation on the day – had earlier announced that no incidents reported on election day would have a “material impact on the outcome of the election”.
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Looks like Gasims boys are trying to console gasim by putting on a show
I am horrified by these rabid-leeches. They gas-bag Qasim, and bleed him millions. They all KNOW that Qasim is not Presidential material, by far.
They are STILL trying to con the man out of his remaining self-esteem, and not to mention, his wealth???
The effrontery of these leeching hyenas is world-record breaking low!!! Why cant you let the man mourn in peace!
@Andrew Andreas: It's none of your business. If you're a Maldivian disguising as a foreigner or you're really a foreigner, things will happen they are meant to be. Whether you like it or not my friend.
Qasim will never join the PPM coalition .Qasim / yameen are enemies since 2005.so qasim's voters will not turn out come 28th september. Thiis is not 2008
Qasim stuck between 2 bitter rivals with his businesses over borrowed and in debt and married to Adaalath
Perfect storm
adaalath is a concubine in bed with all political parties.
If Jumhoree aligns with PPM, there is a theoretical chance of victory, but also a very reasonable chance of defeat and various consequences. If Jumhoree can find a way to bridge ground with MDP, then it is a certain win, even with low turnout. Jumhoree should play its cards carefully. Any coalition is going to get into difficulty eventually... so what is the political trade to be made - or perhaps avoided, now? Perhaps the choice of what not to do is important as well.
Adhaalath party gave JP the hives, crabs, gonzo and HIV.
@Kingmaker: you know whoever comes into power must strive to be in peace with the remaining parties because even the members of other parties are also citizens of this country who also deserve their rights. What you're suggesting is for JP to avoid PPM and bridge gap with MDP? But Nasheed himself stressed during his campaign that people want one ideology. So why form a coalition now? To be assured of his victory? Then he's also not different with the rest as he claims to be.
Is this protest about finding a way to propel JP to second place? Does that save Gasim's face in this disastrous result for him? If so, by all means protest! But protesting and crying is not going to work.
Gasim was quite adamant that he doesn't want Nasheed back in power. The question then is, will electing Yameen safeguard Gasim's interests any better than Nasheed. A neutral observer can only refer to history. Gasim's aeronautical ambitions in fact became reality under the previous MDP government.
Gasim knows Yameen and his track record more than any of us does. Also, Gasim might not have a college degree, but he is definitely not dumb, but a very street smart guy. Getting into a marriage of convenience with Yameen will be like asking a lion to look after your baby! In a word, a total disaster.
@vote wisely: "must strive to be in peace with the remaining parties"
Nah. I for one don't quite feel like making peace with drug tycoons, gang bosses and the facade of the maumoon regime.
@Maldivian Man: perhaps you're a victim of Maumoon regime but it's not fair to label people when all of them including Nasheed's short-term regime also involved cronyism, corruption, MDP members involvement in burning things, etc. So the members of other parties also feel like you. They also don't want to be members of MDP.
@"vote wisely": How about you stop repeating what you're paid to parrot?
And I'm not a member of the MDP. So stop making up random tales to suit your fancy, Ruder Finn mouthpiece.
Dear Vote Wisely.
JASIM LOST!
HE LOST! THE MAN LOST! 3RD PLACE!
With the help of "3 political parties" and countless amounts of electronic goods/cash/scholarships and medical-aid, THE GUY LOST!
Get it into your head and get on with your life. Go spend sometime with your family, go out with your friends. Your comments won't change the FACT THAT JASIM LOST!
it is more likely that a majority will vote for a coalition than for nasheed.similar to the last election.very unlikely that any of the other candidates will join nasheed.unlikely but not impossible. maybe hunger for power will make them stop calling each other baagee or ladheenee.we've already seen enough hypocrisy from politicans and their followers to know that is very possible.already mdp activists are tweeting about drp being their closest party 'ideologically'
@Maldivian Man: sincere apologies if you are not an MDP member 🙂 I'm glad and it's such a relief if you are not. Peace brother!
@Conspiracxy: Sorry, I'm not a supporter of Gasim nor any party. I value peace, respect and prosperity for every Maldivian. That's all I want. You might be an MDP member or I may be wrong again, but let's not get too personal here. Anyway, I hope Yameen wins. Let's see. All the best my friend 🙂