Deposed ruling party leader Maumoon Abdul Gayoom late Sunday apologized to the people for supporting incumbent president Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom which helped his half brother win the presidential elections in 2013.
Maldives has been ravaged by fresh political strife after all political leaders including the former president Gayoom penned a historic treaty to work against the government.
The elder Gayoom had a major falling-out with half brother president Yameen which has seen the ruling party split into two factions and later publicly withdrew support for the government.
Speaking during a joint opposition rally on Sunday, Gayoom who ruled the country for three decades before he lost the first democratic elections in 2008 to former president Mohamed Nasheed said he had backed his half brother in the hope that he would take the country forward with his strong manifesto.
However, since taking office president Yameen has blatantly ignored the constitution and violated the principles of the ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM), Gayoom added.
"So what I can tell the people now. When president Yameen does what he wants in violation of the laws governing this country, I'm extremely disappointed in myself because I feel I must shoulder some of the blame. I want to apologize from the people for that," he stressed.
In recent weeks, the opposition has scored major victories after wresting parliament majority from the PPM with the help of government lawmakers loyal to Gayoom and his lawmaker son Faris Maumoon.
Last week Faris was taken into custody after police searched his residence for evidence over an alleged attempt to buy-off and influence lawmakers to back the opposition led move to unseat the parliament speaker.
Court had remanded the eldest son of former president Gayoom until his sentence which came as a shock as the MP is yet to be charged and police are still investigating the case.
The Dhiggaru MP is also on trial over the alleged misuse of the PPM logo and flag.
Responding to the questionable impersonation charges against Faris, Gayoom accused president Yameen and his close aides of impersonation after "hijacking" the party the former president had founded.
