Increase in membership will exceed the number of people who leave with Umar: Gayoom

President of Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) Maumoon Abdul Gayoom has said that more people will join PPM than the number of people who follow Umar Naseer if he leaves the party.

Replying to a question by Sun Online at a function held by PPM at Mookai Hotel tonight, Gayoom said that due to the current ‘minor conflicts’ within the party, it is possible that some people follow Umar Naseer if he leaves the party; however, increase in party membership will exceed the number of people who leave with Umar.

“If a leading person such as Umar Naseer leaves, there may be some people who leave with him. However we can get a lot more people to join the party. So it’s not something I’m concerned about,” he said.

Gayoom said that following the Primary, Umar Naseer rang and said that he did accept the results. Gayoom said that he does not know why Umar changed his mind later.

He said that several famous people will join PPM soon, and that given the current political situation in the Maldives, it would not be possible to prevent defection.

He said that the Maldives is going through a serious economic downturn and that the Presidential Candidate of PPM is an economics expert, who is capable of solving the current problems.

He also pointed out that tourism is the main industry in the country and that a large number of people of the tourism industry support PPM.

At tonight’s function, Ahmed Nazim and Bassaam Ali Jaleel joined PPM.