Umar Naseer said that the Vice President was ready to undertake any responsibility assigned to him under the constitution and confirmed that he has the opposition’s full confidence. One of the questions the opposition asked the Vice President last night was that if the position of president was vacated for whatever reason, would the Vice President be willing to lead a “peoples rule”. The Secretary General of Dhivehi Qaumee Party (DQP) Abdulla Ameen defined a “people’s rule” as a presidency involving all political parties including the current ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP). “He said that he’d take on the responsibilities in accordance with the constitution,” Ameen said. Umar Naseer revealed that the Vice President had agreed to stay in power in such a situation without resigning till the end of 2013. “The third thing we determined was whether the Vice President could withstand any adversity without resigning to which he confirmed that he could,” Umar Naseer related. “The Vice President has the oppositions full backing through a unanimous decision made last night”. Umar Naseer said that the Vice President was the only option left till the end of 2013. Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party’s (DRP) deputy leader Ibrahim Shareef said last night that the December 23 coalition had clearly stated their opinion of the current situation to the Vice President. He stated that President Mohamed Nasheed is a threat to the people and that there is a fear that the country might plunge into civil war. We requested the Vice President take the reigns of the country and in turn the Maldives Police Service and the Maldives National Defense Force (MNDF) to come under his direct command and obey him as President Nasheed is no longer the leader of the country,” Shareef said. Sheikh Imran Abdulla of the religiously conservative Adhalath Party said that last night’s meeting was held as the government has violated the constitution, destroyed the judicial system and betraying its citizens, whilst clearly stating that the 2013 elections will not be held. Umar Naseer called on the Maldives Police Service and MNDF on behalf of the December 23 coalition, made up of civil societies and political parties, to pledge allegiance to the Vice President stating that president Nasheed can no longer be considered the leader of the country. “We (December 23 coalition) are ready to ally with the Vice President Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik, and we call on all the security forces to do the same,” Umar said. He stressed that the Vice President was elected through votes by the people and highlighted that he has so far never breached the constitution. Ameen claimed that a reply from the Vice President will be received soon following last night’s meeting.