Former president Mohamed Nasheed has claimed that now jailed ex vice-president Ahmed Adeeb Abdul Ghafoor was planted into former president Yameen Abdul Gayyoom's government as a way to sabotage the previous government.
Nasheed made the statement while speaking at a campaign event of MDP candidate Ahmed Easa in Kudafari island of Noonu atoll on Tuesday.
Ahmed Easa, a parliament member in the 17th parliament, was the parliamentarian who voted in favour of appointing Ahmed Adeeb as a cabinet minister while his party Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) had issued a whip line not to vote in Adeeb's favor. His unexpected move cost him his parliament seat as he lost his seat to his competitor during the next election for the 18th parliament.
Nasheed said Easa made the sacrifice of going against his party members and taking on the blame solely on Nasheed's direct order. Even at the time, President Nasheed was aware of Adeeb's shady character and transgressions, admitted Nasheed.
"When the opportunity presented itself, I thought to myself, planting such a destructive character into Yameen's regime would help to establish but subsequently destruct the government. It was the reality that I always foresaw", claimed Nasheed.
Nasheed said he was aware that appointing Adeeb as a minister would kick-start and fuel Adeeb's corrupt behavior, and he was well aware that President Yameen would fall victim to Adeeb's destructiveness.
"For this reason, it occurred to me around midnight that night to give a call to Easa. I called Easa and instructed him to vote in favor of Adeeb despite the whip line. Adeeb was appointed as minister due to Easa's vote. That day Easa was in anguish, he begged me not to do this, he told me his island's people will not vote for him if he voted in favour of Adeeb", narrated Nasheed.
"The very next day after Adeeb was appointed as minister, he stole a lagoon of the Maldives. He started controlling all state owned companies. He was making all his moves on the direct order of President Yameen"
Nasheed said Adeeb did not take too much for himself, and the homes to which 'sackfuls' of money entered have been revealed by those involved in embezzlement of state funds.
Taking credit for Yameen's downfall, Nasheed said the current political state of the country was achieved due to the move he ordered then with the future in mind.
"Today, I stand here before you after changing Yameen's government. We were able to bring about a government change only because we were able to make a crack in president Yameen's government. Another crack appeared along the way, however, the initial crack was deliberately made by us with the long term picture in mind", said Nasheed.
