Abdul Ghafoor Moosa, the newly elected interim chairperson of the main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), voiced confidence on Tuesday that the party’s leadership would not engage in bribery, adding that they are all people he knowns “down to their DNA.”
Gapo, the parliamentary representative for Hanimaadhoo constituency, joined MDP’s deputy chairperson Ibrahim Waheed (Ibrey), parliamentary group leader Ibrahim Nazil, and other senior officials on Tuesday morning in his first press briefing since getting elected as the party’s interim chairperson.
His remarks come amid allegations MDP took money to cancel the mass anti-government rally it planned to hold on November 17 in the Maldivian capital.
The MDP had announced the decision to hold a mass anti-government rally in Male’ on November 17 – when the PNC administration would mark two years in office – during a national council meeting held on October 4 – a day after the party held a similar rally that ended with the police using pepper spray and sound cannons on protestors, and making eight arrests.
The MDP had promoted the rally for weeks and made other preparations. But on November 8, the party’s national council unanimously decided to postpone the rally indefinitely, accusing Home Minister Ali Ihusan of engaging in efforts to block the gathering.
A senior figure within the MDP leadership, who spoke to Sun on condition of anonymity, shares suspicion the abrupt cancellation of the rally is linked to a bribery deal.
The source also admitted the decision created division within the party.
But when questioned about these allegations on Tuesday, Gapo said he is fully confident no one in MDP’s leadership would engage in such an act.
“We don’t have anyone here within the leadership who we aren’t friends with or know down to their spouses and children. The people we are working with within the leadership are all people we known down to their DNA. Therefore, it is very clear to us that none of them would engage in such an act,” he said.
Meanwhile, Ibrey said that the MDP had tried, but failed to secure multiple venues for their rally.
He believes there are zero grounds to even allege the party cancelled the rally because it took a bribe.
“No. That’s not what happened. The government denied us the chance to hold the rally. The government obstructed our rally,” he said.
Gapo added that while there are some differences in opinion within the MDP, this does not mean the party is divided.
“The reality we must accept is that we all must stick with MDP. We need to stay in MDP. Leaving this party to follow a specific individual or a specific ideology is not in the best interest of this party or the work we are doing,” he said.
Gapo urged greater unity within the MDP, especially in light of the upcoming Local Council Elections.
He said that the party must remain united, irrespective of the results in the party’s primaries.
He also said the leadership will respect each and every single vote.
“We assure you 100 percent that, god willing, we will honor each and every ballot paper,” he said.
Ibrey expressed concern that the Elections Commission (EC) has yet to announce the different electoral districts of cities or the seats that will be designated for women, making it hard for the MDP to prepare for the Local Council Elections or even the primaries.
He alleged the PNC was working in rigging the process so that the designated seats for women depends on the availability of female candidates from the party.
The MDP announced it plans to expand political activities in the coming days.