President Maithripala Sirisena's new Governor for the Western Province Azath Salley says his appointment was a "gift" from the President for standing by him. 

Speaking to the media after the appointment as a Governor. Salley said he had stood by President Sirisena since the latter's appointment as the President. 

"This is the gift I received from the President for working with him all along," Salley said. 

Salley, a former Deputy Mayor of Colombo, was formerly a member of the United National Party. He later joined the President's camp and began criticizing Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on TV channels supporting Sirisena. 

The recent appointments of Governors, made by President Sirisena, came under severe criticism from the civil society as the new appointees were open supporters of Sirisena.