MDP Primary: election committee chosen, Nasheed’s faction boycott vote after verbal attacks

Speaker of Parliament and President of MDP, Mohamed Nasheed (L), Minister of Economic Development and Chairperson of MDP, Fayyaz Ismail (C) and President of Maldives, Ibrahim Mohamed Solih (R) having a discussion during the MDP congress 2022 | Photo: Mihaaru

Malé, Maldives – Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) presidential primary election committee has been elected without the vote of the National Council members who support MDP President and Parliament Speaker Mohammed Nasheed.

MDP opened the nomination process for the committee in last nights National Council meeting to which Henveiru South MP Hussain Shaheem proposed five names. The five names were supported by Kendhikulhudhoo MP Ahmed Easa.

During the discussions, the Nasheed’s faction proposed each faction to submit two names. They also proposed the candidates to propose a name agreed upon by both sides for a fifth member.

During the discussion before the vote on the five names, the two factions within the party responded with heated verbal attacks.

However, the faction of President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih and the party leadership said that it cannot be done that way.

Pro-President Solih faction rejected the move, saying it is a violation of the MDP constitution. Thinadhoo South MP Abdullah Saneef said it was alien to democracy to submit two names from two factions to the committee.

Following this, an amendment was moved to vote on the names for the election committee separately, but it was not passed. Nasheed’s faction members left the session after this without voting.

Members elected to the Election Committee:

  • Ibrahim Waheed
  • Akram Kamaluddin
  • Ahmed Abdullah Afeef
  • Anas Abdul Sattar
  • Mohammed Eman