SpaceWar.com - Your World At War
Maldives military backs 'will of the people' after election
Colombo, Sept 26 (AFP) Sep 26, 2018
The Maldives' military chief on Wednesday quashed speculation that outgoing President Abdulla Yameen would try to cling on to power, telling the nation that the armed forces would "protect the will of the people".

Yameen decisively lost the country's Sunday presidential election to opposition leader Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, despite warnings from private poll monitors that the electoral process had been rigged in favour of the incumbent.

Formal poll results will be announced by the election commission on Sunday and Yameen must hand over power to Solih on November 17 at the end of his five-year term.

But rumours have abounded on social media and elsewhere that Yameen could file an election petition seeking the delay of the announcement, prompting military chief Major General Ahmed Shiyam to appear on a private TV channel promising the results would be honoured.

"The people have spoken," Shiyam said.

"I want to assure the Maldivian people that the military will protect the will of the people."

Police chief Abdulla Nawaz issued a similar televised statement on the same day.

Election commission chief Ahmed Shareef confirmed that Yameen's party lodged several complaints of vote irregularities.

"We will look into these concerns," Shareef said, adding that there were no grounds for him to delay the announcement of the formal results.

Earlier Wednesday, the opposition accused Yameen of delaying the release of high-profile political prisoners despite calls by his successor for their release.

Shortly after his shock defeat, Yameen freed five prisoners. But scores of others -- including Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, his estranged half-brother and former president -- remain incarcerated.

There was no immediate comment from the government.

Yameen jailed or exiled most of his rivals during his turbulent five-year term.

Suspecting a plot to impeach him, Yameen in February declared a state of emergency and arrested top judges as well as political opponents.

Yameen's rule dented its image as a honeymoon paradise and attracted alarm abroad.

The US and EU had threatened financial sanctions unless the presidential poll was free and fair.


ADVERTISEMENT




Space News from SpaceDaily.com
Axiom private mission to ISS delayed because of weather
Trump-Musk showdown threatens US space plans
Japanese company aborts Moon mission after assumed crash-landing

24/7 Energy News Coverage
Leaders warn race for minerals could turn seabed into 'wild west'
China carefully assembling a deep-sea mining strategy
China, South Korea must safeguard free trade, Xi tells Lee

Military Space News, Nuclear Weapons, Missile Defense
Iran says has intel to strike Israel in response to 'any' attack on nuclear sites
Iran says to submit own nuclear proposal to US soon
NATO learns as Ukraine's 'creativity' changes battlefield

24/7 News Coverage
World leaders urged to step up for overexploited oceans
Farmed production of some fish - and seaweed - is soaring
What is the high seas treaty?



All rights reserved. Copyright Agence France-Presse. Sections of the information displayed on this page (dispatches, photographs, logos) are protected by intellectual property rights owned by Agence France-Presse. As a consequence, you may not copy, reproduce, modify, transmit, publish, display or in any way commercially exploit any of the content of this section without the prior written consent of Agence France-Presse.