Speaker Nasheed retweets political opponents

Former President and current Speaker of the Parliament Mohamed Nasheed has retweeted a series of tweets sent out by senior political opposition figures marking the birthday of opposition leader and former President Abdulla Yameen.

Speaker Nasheed is the leader of the governing MDP party, and his retweets of opposition party senior figures have grabbed the attention of many on social media.

The Speaker retweeted a tweet of PPM deputy leader and MP for Naifaru Ahmed Shiyam and PNC deputy leader and MP for Maavashu Mohamed Saeed. 

Both opposition leaders had congratulated the former President Abdulla Yameen on his birthday. Former President Yameen is in prison after being found guilty of money laundering last year. The trial was described by the opposition as a sham. The case is now on appeal at the High Court.

The move by Speaker Mohamed Nasheed who is seen as a staunch political rival of Former President Yameen comes at a time when the Speaker has posed criticism towards his own government. 

It is not known why the Speaker retweeted his political opponents.

1.ރައްޔިތުންގެ ހާލަތަށް އެންމެބޮޑު ކުރިއެރުމެއްގެނެސްދެއްވި ދިވެހިތާރީޚް ރަންއަކުރުން ފަވާނެ ޙިދުމަތްތެރި ރައީސްއަށް އުފަންދުވަހުގެ ތަޚްނިޔާ އަރިސްކުރަން.އިންސާފު ނުލިބި ނުޙައްޤުން ޖަލުގައި ހުންނެވުމަކީ ދިވެހިޤައުމަށް ލިބިގެންދިޔަ ބޮޑުހިތާމައެއް. pic.twitter.com/oN7BOH4Kfj

— Mohamed Saeed (@em_saeed) May 20, 2020

Former President Yameen had won the election in 2013 after edging out Nasheed who also contested the election. Speaker Mohamed Nasheed was also jailed during the administration of President Yameen for terrorism charges.

Nasheed had then described the 13-year prison sentence handed down to him as politically motivated. The sentence had also kept Nasheed from contesting in the 2018 presidential elections. The Supreme Court of Maldives had later overruled the sentence.

President Yameen was defeated in the election in 2018 by a coalition spearheaded by the Speaker Nasheed. 

Former President Yameen’s birthday is May 21, 1959. His supporters are exuberantly celebrating the day on social media. An opposition statement issued regarding the day also read that the country was calling on the public to serve.