MDP President calls on everyone to cast their vote today :: Maldives News :: Dhivehi Observer

By-election News

MDP President calls on everyone to cast their vote today

24 December 2005

President Ibrahim Ismail expressed his confidence that MDP will secure all three seats in today's by-election. However, he wants the win to be with a landslide majority in all three constituencies. "I urge everyone to go and cast their vote today, in Male', in Addu and in Shaviyani Atoll" said MDP President who was elected in last week's historic congress. "It is sometimes human nature to be complacent about these issues but if we want true democracy we need everyone to participate in these political activities" affirmed President Ismail.

Self appointed leader of DRP, Dictator Gayyoom has been out and about in Male' today lobbying for his candidate for Male'. Even government vehicles are being used to promote Yoosey including a van of Theemuge being driven around Male' displaying number '3' despite the fact that all campaigning should have stopped 24 hours prior to polling day. However, the election commissioner is a puppet of Gayyoom and will not be able to take any action on this in fear of loosing is job.

In another interesting development, there have been confirmed reports that the ticking in the electoral roll in some polling stations are done with a pencil, paving the way for rigging. Furthermore, electoral roll also contains names of dead people.

Despite the fact that the international community and a great number of reformists, especially members of MDP are keeping a close watch over the election processes, Gayyoom and his cronies are using old tricks like making cash payments to voters in return for supporting their candidates.