President: MDP needs support to maintain power

The Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) needs support from others to maintain power, states President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, who is running in the MDP primary to secure a second term in office.

In a meeting with his supporters at a party center in Addu’s Maradhoo-Feydhoo on Sunday, President Solih said support from MDP members alone isn’t enough to win the presidential election.

He said that it requires support from the entire Maldivian population.

“I don’t believe there is anyone else in MDP who can get this done. This is why I am forced to run [in the election]. It would be easy for me to stay home after completing one term. There’s nothing to it. I served at the Parliament for 25 years. I have completed a presidential term. So, why? But I must do this to deliver the pledges I made for the sake of this party,” he said.

President Solih said that the people “knew very well” what happened when MDP was first elected to office in 2008. He said that the MDP administration at the time, headed by his rival for MDP’s presidential ticket, MDP’s leader and Parliament speaker Mohamed Nasheed, had failed due to lack of long-term vision.

“MDP doesn’t want our second administration taking the same path. A political party shouldn’t have to take to the streets and spend six-seven years on the streets,” he said.

President Solih said that peace and stability is crucial to ensure developmental projects proceed unhindered.

“People like Dr. Didi (Dr. Ibrahim Didi) are public servants. In different fields. But how did they survive on the streets those six-seven years? How many times were they jailed? There are people here who have experienced this. This is no longer acceptable,” he said.