(MENAFN- Morocco World News) Rabat - The Minister of Housing Mohamed Nabil Benabdellah has rebuked Ilyas El Omari, the President of the regional council of Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima and leader of the Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM), for his criticism of the government over the crisis in Al Hoceima and surrounding areas in Rif region.
Last week El Omari took aim at the government, led by his party's main rival the Justice and Development Party (PJD), for its management of the crisis in Rif where protests are going in to their eighth consecutive months.
El Omari asserted he shared no responsibility in the problem, claiming the regional council he heads has been excluded by the government in taking part in meetingsThe statement contradicted one made a few days earlier when called for officials, including him, to be held accountable for failing Al Hoceima.
During his guest appearance in a program on Medi1 TV, Benabdellah slammed El Omari saying he is part of the problem in Al Hoceima.
"Ilyas El Omari is holding a double-voiced discourse. He attacks the government before he takes part in meetings with ministers over Al Hoceima. Once he is out of the meetings, he goes back to attacking the government," said the minister.
"He is part of the problem but he can never be part of the solution."
The leader of the Party of Progress and Socialism (PPS) warned against what he called attempts to use the problem in Al Hoceima for political gain.
"PAM has to be ashamed of itself. If there are any elected representatives and officials who haven't assumed their responsibility, they are PAM's," he said.
Benabdellah's response highlights the divide within the political spectrum in the country, where the situation in Rif is being capitalized on to settle scores between political rivals.
Aziz Benazouz, a leading member of PAM had previously accused the Head of Government Saad Eddine El Othmani of inflicting "a collective punishment" on Rif because the population voted for PAM in legislative elections in October 2016.
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