bi election update
By-election update
( 7:30 pm Maldives time )
Male’: All voting ended at 7 pm local time, thankfully without any violence. Ballot boxes being transported to counting centre, results expected around 1 am (local time) on the 25th of December. Too early to predict any results. Will come to a contest between Usay and Kaanal.
MDP members loitered around the polling stations for long periods of time. And continued illegal campaigning with printed MDP banners within 300ft of numersous voting stations, as shown in the picture.
Pictures also show that, MDP leader, Ibrahim Ismail, and Vice President Ibrahim Zaki travels with ‘thug body guard’ drug addict Saljam Ziyad.
Addu: All voting ended at 7 pm local time, thankfully without any violence. All ballot boxes closed, will arrive in Male’ first thing tomorrow morning (25th December) for counting. Analysts predict landslide victory for Suoodh, the MDP endorsed candidate.
Shayani: All voting ended at 7 pm local time, thankfully without any violence. All ballot boxes closed, will arrive in Male’ tomorrow afternoon for counting. An easy win for the DRP’s Rameez, is predicted at present.
( 5:05 pm Maldives time )
Male’: The last hour has seen a large flourish of voters coming out to cast their ballets. It is believed that people were waiting for the cooler breeze of the late afternoon. Thankfully there have been no violent incidents all day.
Kaanal Nasheed still seen on the streets campaining.
Clarification: The MDP activist “Sangey” mentioned earlier, is actually an elections commission representative at station number 27. Hence, he is breaching of a number of laws and regulations, by urging voters to vote for Kaanal.
It is still too early to predict the outcome of the election, it looks like it is going to be a fight between Usay and Kaanal.
Addu/Shaviyani stations in Male’: More people arriving at these polling stations.
Addu: As with Male’, more people are coming out, as the cooler breeze sets in. It is believed that the best turnout was seen in S. Feydhoo.
It is still too early to predict the outcome of the election.
Shaviyani: Steady numbers of voters seen all day, no matter how hot and humid the conditions were. Although some ‘news’ websites such as minivannews.com ‘reported’ that there were a few incidents, residents from all islands in the atoll report to the contrary. ‘The situation remained, normal and peaceful through out the day’ said Ignaz Labeeb, of Shaviyani Feevah. ‘It’s a shame that we never heard of the money that the DRP candidate [allegedly] distributed. No one on this island is aware of that, if anything of this sort happened, we would have known’ added Labeeb.
Analysts predict an easy win for Rameez, the DRP candidate.
( 3:45 pm Maldives time )
Male’: MDP activists near voting station 27, are in violation of voting procedure. Eyewitnesses report that an MDP activist known as “Sangey” is stationed near vote box number 27.
As people arrive at the voting station, Sangey approaches them with a Map of Male’ and acts as if explaining, something, when in actual fact, he is urging them to vote for the MDP endorsed candidate Kaanal
(2:30 pm Maldives time )
The Commissioner of Elections, Mr KD Ahmed Maniku said in an interview with Television Maldives, that the voting process was running relatively smoothly in Male’, Shaviyani and Seenu Atoll.
Mr Maniku also said that, his office has so far not received any written complaints, hence it is safe to say at this stage that everything is under control, and that neither party is accusing the other of any foul play at this stage.
Sources within, minivannews.com inform olhuala.com of the intention of minivannews owner and leader of the MDP international wing David Hardighman to call foul play on his ‘news’ website if either of the MDP candidates fail to win.
‘Jude [Liang] and Paul [Roberts] have prepared articles in advance. One for each scenario. If the MDP candidates win, they intend to publish an article stating that the elections were free and fair. If any of them lose, they intend to come up with something to accuse the DRP or the party that wins of foul play’ said one of our sources, who wished to remain anonymous.
Hence it is not surprising that they have already begun to post such articles (see minivannews.com) about ‘incidents’ in Shaviyani atoll. The seat that the MDP believe they have no chance of winning. It is surprising that, Roberts or Liang have not bothered to report that their candidate, kaanal Nasheed is still on the streets of Male’ campaigning. Which is a violation of the election procedure, rules.
(2:00 pm Maldives time)
Friday night saw a mob led by MDP Vice President Ibrahim Zaki congregate at the polling station. They continued to harass the Elections Commission volunteers at the site by shouting abuse.
At this stage the results are too close to call although things appear to be running smoothly. None of the feared violence has materialised yet.
Addu Atoll (Seenu)
Voting progressing without incident at all polling stations. Voter turnouts reported to be moderate to high in Feydhoo. Turnout is moderate in all other locations.
Male'
Slight disturbances at Villingili ferry terminal at the ‘new harbour’ where gangs of youth's are at the jetty shouting "Don't vote for Usay (Yoosuf Rafeeu) if you want to live on this island!”.
Reports are coming in that, there is a gang of MDP thugs intimidating DRP and Adhalath supporters near Thaajuddeen School. One of the MDP's drug addicts/dealers Maakun Falaahu, is leading this gang. “Although fighting has not yet broken out, the situation is spiraling out of control” said our reporter stationed at Taajuddeen.
Incidents of violations of campaign regulations by MDP's Kaanal Nasheed have been reported. He was seen campaigning house to house in Maafannu. Maafannu ward is seen as a DRP stronghold, hence MDP's last-ditch efforts.
Although, early morning reports indicated otherwise, voter turnout is low so far: an indication that DRP has not been able to mobilise their support base in Male'. Hence it is believed that Kaanal, may have taken the lead, for the Male’ seat.
However, MDP vote may be split because they have one (unendorsed) candidate - Winter Shareef – contesting the seat in addition to Nasheed.
Shaviyani Atoll
Expected to be the most clear-cut of results with DRP's Moosa Rameez winning by a considerable margin - although olhuala.com has seen evidence that this seat may not be so easy to win for the DRP.
(2:00 pm Maldives time)
Friday night saw a mob led by MDP Vice President Ibrahim Zaki congregate at the polling station. They continued to harass the Elections Commission volunteers at the site by shouting abuse.
At this stage the results are too close to call although things appear to be running smoothly. None of the feared violence has materialised yet.
Addu Atoll (Seenu)
Voting progressing without incident at all polling stations. Voter turnouts reported to be moderate to high in Feydhoo. Turnout is moderate in all other locations.
Male'
Slight disturbances at Villingili ferry terminal at the ‘new harbour’ where gangs of youth's are at the jetty shouting "Don't vote for Usay (Yoosuf Rafeeu) if you want to live on this island!”.
Reports are coming in that, there is a gang of MDP thugs intimidating DRP and Adhalath supporters near Thaajuddeen School. One of the MDP's drug addicts/dealers Maakun Falaahu, is leading this gang. “Although fighting has not yet broken out, the situation is spiraling out of control” said our reporter stationed at Taajuddeen.
Incidents of violations of campaign regulations by MDP's Kaanal Nasheed have been reported. He was seen campaigning house to house in Maafannu. Maafannu ward is seen as a DRP stronghold, hence MDP's last-ditch efforts.
Although, early morning reports indicated otherwise, voter turnout is low so far: an indication that DRP has not been able to mobilise their support base in Male'. Hence it is believed that Kaanal, may have taken the lead, for the Male’ seat.
However, MDP vote may be split because they have one (unendorsed) candidate - Winter Shareef – contesting the seat in addition to Nasheed.
Shaviyani Atoll
Expected to be the most clear-cut of results with DRP's Moosa Rameez winning by a considerable margin - although olhuala.com has seen evidence that this seat may not be so easy to win for the DRP.