PNC victory means dissolving councils, warns Ghafoor

Interim Chairperson of Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) Abdul Ghafoor Moosa stated last night that were ruling People's National Congress (PNC) to win the upcoming Local Council Elections, they would do nothing but dissolve councils entirely. 

Speaking at the rally held last night at the Artificial Beach to inaugurate MDP's campaign, titled 'Gear up', Ghafoor said that the current government had come to power with the promise of constructing 64,000 flats, and yet, not a single brick had been laid to date. 

Ghafoor, who also serves as MP for Hanimaadhoo, stated that the previous MDP administration had built flats and issued 9,000 land plots from the Male' region. This government has assured that the land plots would be handed over to recipients, he said, criticizing the government for having failed to do so to date. 

Ghafoor asserted that citizens have no obligation to vote for government candidates when they have failed to hand over the land plots despite it being a presidential pledge. 

"Where is the land they have given? As long as the land plots are not handed over, residents of Male' and the entire Maldives do not need to vote for the government," Ghafoor stated. 

He criticized the government, claiming it had done nothing for the people despite campaigning on a pledge of service. 

Ghafoor said that if PNC secures a win in the upcoming Local Council Elections, there is a very real threat that they may move to entirely dissolve councils. 

"What are they trying to do? If these councils are given to them, they will make use of it to dissolve all councils. That is all they will do."

Ghafoor said that giving a super-majority in parliament to PNC had enabled them to dismantle the powers of the Decentralization Act. 

"This is who they are. So if they are given a council majority, they will use those elected to dissolve councils. This is what we are certain of today," Ghafoor warned. 

MDP's leadership and candidates contesting across city and island councils and Women's Development Committees on MDP tickets participated in last night's rally.