None of the current ruling coalition lawmakers had their election campaigns funded by the former vice president Ahmed Adheeb Abdul Ghafoor with funds stolen from state coffers, top ruling party lawmaker Abdul Raheem Abdulla insisted Thursday.
The ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) deputy leader's comments come days after president Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom had called on lawmakers who had their election campaigns funded by his former deputy to resign.
Speaking during a ceremony held Monday evening to open a new ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) camp in the capital Male, president Yameen said the funds distributed by the now jailed former vice president had been stolen from the state coffers.
In light of the facts, the president called on lawmakers who had their election campaigns funded by the ex-VP to immediately resign and seek re-election through "legitimate means."
"We need to find out which lawmakers had been elected on the funds handed by Adheeb. Adheeb had funded the election campaigns of several MPs. So my house, our house is tainted by the graft money. So if they [lawmakers] truly believe that they should step down," president Yameen said.
President had stressed on the hypocrisy involved if such members voice against corruption but remain in elected office on the back of graft funds.
Responding to a question over president Yameen's comments, the Fonadhoo MP Raheem insisted that Adheeb had handled the party funds which were then used to fund the campaigns of the now elected PPM lawmakers.
"President handed funds for party related issues to Adheeb, that's not illicit money. We have no members who were elected through graft funds," Raheem stressed.
