Joint opposition candidate Ibrahim Mohamed Solih ‘Ibu’ will investigate the February 2012 ouster of the Maldivian Democratic Party government, vice presidential candidate Dr Mohamed Shaheem warned Monday night.
Appearing on the state broadcaster, the Islamic university chancellor said if he is elected Ibu would seek retribution against those involved in the transfer of power, including allies in the opposition coalition.
“Why don’t the candidate come out and say we won’t investigate February 7? They will investigate February 7. And they will investigate the cases of everyone they called coup plotters, too, and jail them for 25 years as well,” he said.
Shaheem denied any involvement and stressed that he was out of the country at the time.
On February 7, former president Mohamed Nasheed resigned in the wake of a violent mutiny by Specialist Operations police officers and elements of the military, who assaulted pro-government supporters, ransacked the MDP meeting hall, and took over the state broadcaster.
Nasheed said he was forced to resign under duress in order to protect his family and prevent bloodshed. But a Commonwealth-backed Commission of National Inquiry later concluded that the transfer of power to his deputy was constitutional.
In response to Shaheem, MDP MP Fayyaz Ismail noted that the party had accepted the CoNI findings and “left it in the past.” Only the MDP is calling for the implementation of the CoNI recommendations, such as accountability for “acts of police brutality,” the lawmaker tweeted.
In his interview, Shaheem, who signed for the ruling party Sunday night, continued the attack launched by President Abdulla Yameen against his main opponent, challenging the MDP parliamentary group leader to answer for the alleged crimes of the Nasheed administration.
Nasheed has long been the target of a campaign of vilification by the Progressive Party of Maldives. The ruling party’s parliamentary recently came under fire after posting graphics that labelled the exiled opposition leader as the cruellest or most tyrannical ruler in Maldives history.
Asked about Yameen’s questions upon his return from a campaign trip Monday, Ibu said the president will have his answers when the public votes on September 23.
“The public knows very clearly the affairs and actions of this government. And they know how things happened in our government,” he told reporters.
Photo from PSM
