Former President and President of Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), Mohamed Nasheed, has said that we would not get a fair election if we were to wait until 2018.
Nasheed stated this during a joint rally between MDP and Jumhoory Party (JP) held at the Carnival area last night. The rally with a major turnout was the first of its kind under the joint efforts by both parties by the name "Maldivians in Defense of the Constitution".
President Nasheed said that the country is progressing towards a major change, and that the people were standing up to fulfill their aspirations. He added that the people desire a Parliamentary System rather than the Presidential system currently followed.
“The people desire a parliamentary system. MDP will progress in the direction the nation desires. I assure all JP members that we will stand with Qasim in whatever state he is in. I assure you that,” said Nasheed.
He said that the journey Maldivian citizens have started on the path of democracy is feared to be at the brink of becoming obsolete, and that President Abdulla Yameen was ruling under a dictatorship. He said that all politicians should accept the contents of the CONI report, and that the current government had lost its legitimacy.
“Only dictatorships can rule without the consent of the people. President Yameen became president with only 25% of the votes. Never in the history of Maldives has any government been established to live up to the prospect by the Constitution,” said Nasheed.
The rally held last night was one of many activities by JP and MDP for the purpose of defending the Constitution, and both parties had signed an agreement to work together during last night's rally. JP Deputy Leader Ameen Ibrahim and MDP Chairperson Ali Waheed signed the agreement as witnesses.
Both parties had previously also formed a joint Inter-party Parliamentary Group, as well as a Joint Commission.