Maduvvari Constituency MP Mohamed Ameeth says the shift of Parliament Members to Progressive Party of the Maldives (PPM) from other parties was carried out on direct orders of President Abdullah Yameen.

Speaking in the panel discussion held by the opposition parties on Wednesday night in Maafannu Kunooz, MP Ameeth said this was narrated to him by former Vice President Ahmed Adeeb Abdul Ghafoor.

Referring to the statements made by President Abdullah Yameen in Meedhoo island, MP Ameeth said the purchase and transfer of MPs from one Party to the other Party was first engineered by President Yameen. As such, he noted that President Yameen had engineered the transfer of 15 MPs to the Party. in his address, President Yameen had criticized 13 MPs for shifting allegiances.

MP Ameeth questioned on who had actually carried out a coup, criticizing the double standards when it came to allegations of a coup.

‘Yameen took six MPs from Jumhooree Party to PPM. Five from [Maldivian Democratic Party] MDP to PPM. Four independent candidates to PPM. When I was in jail, [former Vice President] Adeeb told me that they had brought in MPs after paying them hefty sums of money. Adeeb said they had spent three million, four million, seven million, eight million. Adeeb said the cash was distributed on [President] Yameen’s order. Who had really rebelled against the state – is it us Members?’ the Parliamentarian questioned.

Referring to the corruption rumors, MP Ameeth said he had seen three Presidents during his lifetime. None of them, he said had attempted to construct a 25-storey home in capital Male’ City. Ameeth added that at the end of his administration President Maumoon moved back to Alivaage, which was the last resort option for him. Former President Mohamed Nasheed also did not have any new property to his name at the end of his tenure.

However, he lambasted President Yameen for his decision to purchase a home near the bridge, asking on how the President had acquired the funds for it.

‘[President] Yameen’s policy was to construct the bridge, then his aim was to make his home in the prime location in Male’. He focused on buying a home from that location. [President] Yameen is not a resort owner. He’s not rich. But what he’s doing is constructing a 25-storey building in two years of his administration. Where did he find this money? Citizens are facing an acute housing crisis. In their manifesto, they claimed they will address the housing crisis in the country. He’s constructing his house to 25 floors, while citizens suffer,’ MP Ameeth said.