Not satisfied of the outcome of the by-election says MDP Chairman :: Maldives News :: Dhivehi Observer

By-election Review

Not satisfied of the outcome of the by-election says MDP Chairman

26 December 2005

The Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has successfully defeated Gayyoom and his party in the constitutional assembly by-elections held in Male', Addu and Shaviyani Atoll. MDP won 2 out of the 3 seats in spite of Gayyoom's attempt to rig the votes and abuse of power as well as intimidation and harassment.

Both Male' and Addu seats, representing the largest voting population of Maldives, were secured by MDP with a convincing majority. In Male' provisional results gave MDP 7000 votes whilst the DRP got 4587 even with several attempts at rigging. In Addu MDP secured 4679 votes whilst DRP got only 1687, giving MDP a convincing victory. In Shaviyani the situation was different and Gayyoom succeeded in rigging the vote giving his candidate 2865 whereas MDP got 1676 votes. However, there is increasing evidence that the vote in Shaviyani was rigged quite heavily.

Gayyoom obviously knew that he could not succeed in rigging the votes in Male' and Addu but it did not stop him from trying his level best. Despite that in Male', out of 36 ballot boxes, MDP convincingly led all but 2 of them.

MDP wins with popular support whilst Gayyoom has to resort to rigging the vote to win a seat. Every single non-governmental observer will testify to this fact.

A senior team of observers from MDP headed by Hon. Ahmed Shafeeg, MP for Meemu Atoll and memeber of MDP's National Council, spend 3 days in the Atoll. Speaking to Dhivehi Observer, Shafeeg explained "I am certain that we would have safely won the seat had there been no vote rigging and abuse of power by this government. Security seals from ballot boxes were tempered with. The supervisors send to the Atoll from the Office of the Election Commissioner were themselves campaigning for Gayyoom's candidate Moosa Rameez. When we complained to the Commissioner he dismissed it saying that his staff were just directing voters to the polling booth. Even after the campaigning time ended as per law, 24 hours before polling day, Gayyoom's candidate and his people went around many islands distributing hard cash and demanding people to vote for him. When I went to lodge a formal complaint with the Atoll Chief Mahir, he dismissed it as well. But, what I saw there was that Gayyoom's candidate was sitting in a sofa in his veranda. I am confident that had it not been for the rigging and cheating, Anwar would be the clear winner. Anwar is formally going to lodge these complaints."

Despite winning 2 out of 3 seats with a convincing majority, MDP Chairman Mohamed Nasheed (Anni) said "We are not at all satisfied with this outcome. Had it not been for rigging, we would have won all three seats with great majorities as we did in Male' and Addu Atoll."