Falah: Yameen will ultimately back Pres. Muizzu in 2028

Ruling PNC’s Parliamentary Group Leader Ibrahim Falah has remarked that former president Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayyoom will ultimately support President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu in his bid to secure re-election in the 2028 presidential election.

Falah remarks come following a statement by Yameen on Sunday, during which the former president stated that he would still choose incumbent President Muizzu over the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP).

Expressing confidence in this outcome, Falah asserted that there is no doubt Yameen will ultimately commit himself to securing a second term for President Muizzu in 2028. He said Yameen is acutely aware of the potential consequences of an MDP return to power, suggesting that the opposition would subject him to further political persecution and potentially return him to Maafushi Prison. Falah further argued that an MDP administration would result in national decline, characterizing the party as one whose actions do not correspond with its rhetoric.

Echoing these sentiments, PNC’s Baarah MP Ibrahim Shujau said that when Yameen speaks from a clear and rational perspective, he advocates for what is in the best interests of the nation. Shujau underscored that Yameen understands that President Muizzu remains the most compassionate political figure towards him.

Criticizing Yameen's current group of advisers, Shujau claimed that the "inner circle" surrounding the former President is responsible for exacerbating political hostility and personal grievances. He further argued that the most beneficial course of action for Yameen would be to endorse President Muizzu in 2028, thereby supporting the President's efforts to protect the country from the MDP's "harmful ideologies."

Despite these assertions by senior figures within the ruling party, former President Yameen has formally announced his intention to contest the next presidential election and is currently engaged in political activities aimed at securing support for his candidacy.