The political party leaders are in debt to the Maldivian people, former president Mohamed Nasheed said Thursday after returning from three years in self-exile.
Addressing thousands of supporters in the capital Male, Nasheed said the Maldivian people had shocked the world when they defied all odds and hardship to resolutely say no to a tyrant during last month's presidential elections.
"The four opposition leaders along with the president elect Ibrahim Mohamed Solih are in your debt. Now we owe you housing. From sewerage to clean water, we owe you basic services. We owe you a better life," Nasheed said amid deafening cheers of the crowd gathered at the artificial beach area in the east end of the capital Male.
"By the will of God, we will make your hopes and dream a reality."
Solih backed by Nasheed along with former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, Jumhoory Party (JP) leader Gasim Ibrahim and religiously conservative Adhaalath Party (AP) leader Sheikh Imran Abdulla had pulled off a shocking election victory over incumbent president Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom.
Amid concerns that the coalition government would not last, Nasheed insisted that he would do everything in his power to sustain Solih's government.
Nasheed had lived in self imposed exile most recently in Sri Lanka after he was allowed to leave to the UK on medical leave in an internationally brokered deal in 2015 following his jailing on terrorism charges.
He was sentenced to 13 years in prison over the arbitrary arrest and subsequent detention of a sitting judge while he was president.
