Tag: former president’s lawyer

MP and Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) Spokesperson Ahmed Mahloof has called on Mohamed Waheed, the party’s candidate for the Kaashidhoo seat in parliament, to remove himself from an upcoming by-election.

Mahloof told Haveeru yesterday that Waheed had been asked to remove his name from the election in order to leave the seat to the Jumhoory Party’s (JP) Abdulla Jabir.

The JP and PPM are in a coalition along with five other parties in the current government coalition and both parties have reportedly disagreed over who is to run for the vacant Kaashidhoo seat in parliament.

Mahlouf has told the press that Jabir was more likely to win the by-election because Jabir has been working on the development of the Kaashidhoo area for a while and that if Waheed was to contend with him in the election, it could be an advantage for the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP).

He also said all the members of the PPM Council, except for six individuals, do not want Waheed to run in this by-election.

Meanwhile, PPM Council member Dr Mohamed Saudh has resigned from the party after its leadership said that they did not support Waheed.

Saudh has told local newspaper ‘Sun’ that it was against the party’s spirit and charter to discourage a party member running for an election while expressing support for another organisation.

Waheed is a prominent lawyer who has represented former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom on several collections.  He work has included helping the Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) and PPM in almost all of the court cases filed in the court relating to their affairs whilst they were in opposition.

Last year, the Criminal Court sentenced Independent MP for Kaashidhoo, Ismail Abdul Hameed, to one year and six months banishment after he was found guilty of abusing his authority for financial gain to a third party.

Under article 73(c)(3) of the constitution, MPs found guilty of a criminal offence “and sentenced to a term of more than twelve months” would be stripped of their seat.

Waheed did not respond to Minivan News at time of press.