Muizzu: Will be pleased to receive Yameen’s counsel

President-elect Dr. Mohamed Muizzu says he would be pleased to receive guidance and counsel from the opposition leader, former president Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom, as he takes office for the next five years.

In an exclusive interview to Sun on Thursday, Muizzu said he has stated on multiple occasions, and in clear terms, how he will run his administration.

He said plans on the swift delivery of all his pledges, and will seek assistance from experts in related fields.

Muizzu said that he would be pleased to receive counsel from Yameen, who served as the leader of the country from 2013 to 2018.

“President Yameen ruled this country for five years, during which time he provided numerous services and initiated multiple development projects. I would therefore be extremely pleased to receive the opportunity to tap into his experience,” he said.

Muizzu finds it important to seek counsel from experts in various fields, including economic, social, and trade.

“If the counsel they provide improves our decisions and shapes it in a way that is most beneficial to the people, it can only promote the best interests of the people,” he said.

Muizzu said that he will govern the country in accordance with the will of the people, and reiterated his commitment to delivering his pledges.

The PPM-PNC coalition had originally produced former president Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom – who was unseated by President Solih in the 2018 election - as their candidate.

However, Yameen’s candidacy was rejected due to his conviction for money laundering and bribery in the sale of V. Aarah.

After Yameen lost the bid to contest his disqualifications with the Supreme Court, the PPM-PNC joint senate took a secret vote, which Muizzu won by a slim margin, beating his rival, PNC’s deputy leader and top lawmaker Adam Shareef Umar, by just two votes.

After losing the court battle, Yameen sent a note, instructing the PPM-PNC leadership to consider boycotting the election.

However, the joint senate decided against boycotting the election, after which Yameen decided to accept the decision, and endorsed Muizzu.

Muizzu won the presidential runoff election held on Saturday with 129,159 votes (54 percent), beating MDP’s Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, the incumbent president, who won 109,868 votes (46 percent).

Upon winning the election, he appealed to the incumbent president, Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, to use his executive powers to transfer Yameen to house arrest. The outgoing president complied, and Yameen was transferred to his home in Male’, the next day.