Dino Matrosse said that he has seen "some writings" that attack him politically, but they are "people who do not know him well", especially "those young people who are there in certain places, defending themselves".
"We are here, we always defend the population, the nation, we do not have any personal project, the people who know me, the older ones, know who I am", said Dino Matrosse, in statements to Lusa.
In recent days, some texts have been circulating on social media about an alleged plot against João Lourenço, led by Dino Matrosse, who is allegedly supporting the rise of the former president of the National Assembly, Fernando da Piedade Dias dos Santos, to the leadership of the MPLA.
This former MPLA leader stressed that "the party is not divided, as such, but there are comrades who are at odds, who do not appear".
These texts also allude to the existence of an "imminent risk of division within the party, pointing out that similar movements, in the past, have led to internal division".
The MPLA's history has highlighted that what has been written about it goes against what it defends, which is against divisions and warns about their consequences in its published works on this subject.
The former deputy of the National Assembly also says that it is normal for two, three or four candidates to appear within the party who want to run for the leadership, with the end of the current president's term in 2027, noting that the party's statute allows for multiple candidacies.
"The party's statute now coincides with the mandates of the Constitution, it has two mandates, each lasting five years, it's over, it's over, another one comes. And we don't wait until 2027 (for potential candidates to emerge), it has to be before, the candidate has to start his work before, to be known, to bring the party together and lead the party to victory", said Dino Matrosse, declaring that this is his vision and it is public.
"Let eight or seven run, let the members decide, it shouldn't be closed off, the party can propose its candidate, the president himself can propose, but he can't discourage those who want to run", added the politician, stressing that there is internal democracy and there is no reason for "all this fuss".
In addition to the name of the former president of parliament, other names have been put forward, such as General Higino Carneiro, who has held several positions in the Government.
Regarding a third term as President of the Republic, Dino Matrosse said that his position "is clear", the party's statute does not allow it and the MPLA does not have enough members of parliament to change the Constitution.
For Dino Matrosse, some of the things that are being written about him are "very serious", stressing that he is used to this criticism, since he was secretary general of the MPLA, but that he has never responded.
"I have always responded with my work, with what I knew how to do since I became a member of the MPLA. I am 81 years old and when I joined the MPLA I was 19. I have never known any other party, no other boss in my life," he said.
Dino Matrosse said that he is currently a grassroots member, his focus has never been on holding positions in the party and the ones he has held over time were appointed by MPLA leaders.
Regarding the meeting that the MPLA president will hold on Monday with the coordinators of the Party's Action Committees (CAP), Dino Matrosse considered it normal, "because the statute gives him the possibility of meeting with members at any time he wants, regardless of the party's hierarchical levels."
