Most disappointed when close ally Ghassan stepped aside: Yameen

Former President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Qayyoom said last night that of all those who distanced themselves from him after the PPM/PNC coalition fell out, he is most saddened by his nephew and current Defence Minister, Ghassan Maumoon, stepping aside.

Yameen's remarks were made during Yameen's new party, PNF's meeting where he spoke after showing a video recording of a press conference by the coalition's senior leaders during the presidential campaign.

In the video, Fisheries Minister Ahmed Shiyam, Defence Minister Ghassan Maumoon, Local Government Minister Adam Shareef and Speaker of the Parliament Abdul Raheem Abdulla said they were all "with President Yameen very firmly."

Speaking about the video, Yameen said he was most upset and saddened by Ghassan's statements, adding that he had hoped Ghassan would stand by him unconditionally.

According to Yameen, staying on as defence minister after making such a move raises questions about confidence.

"I believed that he was just with me unconditionally. He was dedicated and very devoted aside from the family kinship, but he made such strong statements in front of the people and today he is in the defence post so the people will not trust him," he said.

Ghassan was with Yameen when his father, former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, was jailed on during Yameen's administration as well.

In the video referred to by Yameen yesterday, Ghassan said he would continue to be with Yameen in the political scene.

Besides Ghassan, he was also disappointed by Minister Adam Shareef's remarks, Yameen said adding that he was the person who made Adam Shareef a someone.

"I am very disappointed that Adam Shareef talked like this. I made Adam Shareef [somebody] and made him Defence Minister," Yameen said.

But apart from the two, the rest are all politicians and their words do not disappoint him, Yameen also said.

"Abdul Raheem is a politician. MP Shiyam is a politician. So I don't have much heart for what they said. But what Ghassan did is unacceptable.

The PPP/PNC senators who were with Yameen until the current administration was formed, turned away from him because of what he did during the early days of the government, they said. Following the disputes over Yameen's move to grab power by changing up the party's positions, he left PPM and formed PNF.

Ghassan and other members of the senate went ahead with the government.

Speaking about Yameen's actions, Ghassan had earlier said that Yameen did not say that there was any problem when he left the PPM. Yameen left the party without informing him of anything, Ghassan said.