Ahmed Adeeb

Ahmed Adeeb
އަހުމަދު އަދީބު
5th Vice President of the Maldives
In office 22 July 2015 – 5 November 2015
President	Abdulla Yameen
Preceded by	Mohamed Jameel Ahmed
Succeeded by	Abdulla Jihad
Minister of Tourism, Arts & Culture
In office 17 November 2013 – 22 July 2015
Vice President of Progressive Party of Maldives
Incumbent
Assumed office 18 January 2013
Personal details
Born	Ahmed Adeeb Abdul Ghafoor (1982-04-11) 11 April 1982 Malé, Maldives
Political party	Progressive Party of Maldives
Children	2
Alma mater	Staffordshire University Edith Cowan University
Religion	Islam
Website	adeeb.mv

Ahmed Adeeb with some youth leaders who joined Progressive Party of Maldives in their Grand Rally.

Ahmed Adeeb Abdul Ghafoor (Maldivian: އަހުމަދު އަދީބު އަބްދުލް ޤަފޫރު; born 11 April 1982) is a Maldivian politician who briefly served as Vice President of Maldives in 2015. Prior to his appointment on 22 July 2015, he served as the Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture.

Early career and family life

Ahmed Adeeb was born and raised in Male' City. Adeeb is the son of Abdul Ghafoor Adam and Shaheema Mohamed.

Ahmed Adeeb attended the Majeediyya School for his primary education before receiving his degree from Staffordshire University in 2007. He received his Master of Business Administration Degree from Edith Cowan University in 2008.

Adeeb began his career in 2001 at Maldives Customs Services. After graduating in 2008 he started work as the Chief Operating Officer at Millennium Capital Holdings Pvt Ltd, before he got elected as the Treasurer of Maldives National Chamber of Commerce and Industries (MNCCI) the same year. He was later elected as President of the Maldives National Chamber of Commerce and Industries (MNCCI) in 2011. Adeeb stepped into the national spotlight in 2009 as a young academic discussing various economic issues relating to the government.

He became the fifth Vice President of Maldives on 22 July 2015.

On 24 October 2015 it was announced that Adeeb had been arrested by Maldives police in connection with a 28 September 2015 bomb attack which targeted President Abdulla Yameen.

On 5 November, Adeeb was removed from office asVice President by a no confidence vote from the People's Majlis.^[1]

He is currently held in Dhoonidhoo prison awaiting trial.

Political career

After the controversial resignation of President Mohamed Nasheed on February 7, 2012, President Waheed appointed Ahmed Adeeb as Tourism Minister.^[2] After Abdulla Yameen was sworn in as President of Maldives, on November 17, 2013, Ahmed Adeeb was appointed as Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture.^[3] Apart from being the Tourism Minister, Ahmed Adeeb was also the chair of the Economic Council. Ahmed Adeeb is a major stakeholder in Maldives politics.^[4]

Personal life

Ahmed Adeeb married Fathimath Liusha in 2006. She belongs to an affluent family in Male'.^[5] Together they have two children, a son and a daughter.

Vice Presidency

In July 2015, President Abdulla Yameen appointed Ahmed Adeeb as the Vice President of Maldives. The oath taking ceremony was held at the President’s Office where the oath was administered by Chief Justice Abdulla Saeed. The People’s Majlis approved his nomination with 70 votes in favor. Ahmed Adeeb was the youngest vice president in the world at the time.

Arrest

On 24 October 2015, Ahmed Adeeb was arrested for planting an IED on the Presidential Launch. Ahmed Adeeb and his uncle travelled to Aarah on the Presidential Launch on 25 September, three days before the President was to return to Male from his visit abroad. The time they arrived in Aarah was about Maghrib Prayer time. While both Uncle and Adeeb stayed on the launch they sent the crew ashore to perform the evening Maghrib Prayers. According to the crew during investigations, this was the only time that the Presidential Launch was left without any crew. (It was the critical moment that Adeeb and his Uncle planted the IED that was made for him by an MNDF officer.) Two explosive devices were planted, both to be explode remotely using a GSM connection. The President was traveling on the presidential speedboat when a blast occurred on the boat on 28 September 2015. Yameen was not injured and the first lady survived with severe injuries to the backbone.^[6] Adeeb was also arrested for the disappearance of $79 million from the Maldives' tourism body.^[7] Having been convicted of attempting to assassinate the President, he was sentenced to thirty years in prison.

Adeeb was removed from the Vice Presidency on 5 November 2015.^[8]

References