President to PPM: Cannot win the election with substitute players

Stressing the presidential election to be the most important of all elections – President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has criticized opposition Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) citing the election could not be won by “tagging in substitute players”.

Speaking at a campaign event in R. Hulhudhuffaaru – President Solih attributed the presidential election to an ‘A’ grade match, or a competition such as the premier league. In this trajectory, he said the election can only be won by playing the full team, adding there was no winning with substitute players.

“We are playing an ‘A’ division match. If in the UK, the premier league. There is no winning with substitute players. We are the full team,” he said.

He emphasized that only Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP)’s coalition is facing the election with the full team.

Referencing the recent mass resignations from MDP, President Solih said the ‘slight tremor’ within the party recently had also reached Hulhudhuffaaru. He appealed to former members of the party from the island to reconsider their decision. Underscoring that a decision in the presidential election does not constitute a simple decision – the president, therefore, said it must be a good one, as it will form a government. 

President Solih’s pledged for Hulhudhuffaaru if elected for a second term;

• Development of housing units
• A community centre with sporting facilities
• Developing an administrative office and additional classrooms at schools
• Developing additional roads