My children

Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, former President and current leader of Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) has said that the decision by his daughter and sons to support their uncle, Maumoon’s brother and PPM’s presidential primary candidate Abdulla Yameen, was a decision that they had made on their own accord.

A two page statement released by Maumoon today stated that he had decided refrain from publicly supporting any of the presidential primary candidates as it would be unfair to do so given his position as the President of the party, but said that the decision by his children to support Yameen was made on their own.

Maumoon’s statement follows an appearance by his children at a presidential primary campaign event last night, publicly declaring their support for Yameen.

“Even though I remain on my decision, my children are now mature and have the right to make their own political choices. Therefore, the decisions made by my children regarding this primary and other such political matters are decisions of their own accord,” Maumoon’s statement read.

Maumoon stated that his daughter Yumna had also decided not declare support for a certain candidate as she currently holds the position of the party’s Secretary General. Maumoon continued to say that both the candidates competing in the PPM primary are members who had done great service to the party, and he will stand beside whoever wins the primary.

The PPM presidential primary is scheduled for Saturday, 30th of this month. Maumoon’s children Dhunya Maumoon, Farish Maumoon, Gassan Maumoon and Yumna’s husband Mohamed Nadheem went up on the stage and held hands with Yameen during last night’s campaign meeting, publicly declaring their support for their uncle.

Speaking at last night's meeting, PPM’s former Deputy Leader Abdul Raheem Abdulla said that all of Maummon’s children support Yameen and that that would be reason to vote him.