Speaker of the Parliament, former president Mohammed Nasheed, has not been removed from the post yet is because he is the President of Maldivian Democratic Party, said the MDP parliamentary group media coordinator, MP Mohammed Abdullah Shafeeq.
The MDP parliamentary group held a press conference at the parliament building today where MDP parliamentary group expressed concern over the behaviour of President Nasheed in today’s session.
He said the constitution provides for the right to defend a minister orally and in writing in a no-confidence motion.
But when he sent a written defence to last week’s session, the speaker himself did not accept it and did not continue the session last week.
He also accused the speaker of giving the opportunity to the opposition members to obstruct the session when the AG came to the house to defend himself.
Some opposition members stood up and shouted in front of the speaker, but the Speaker and MDP President Mohammed Nasheed did not take any steps to stop it, Shafeeq said.
Contrary to the long-standing practice of no-confidence motions against ministers and the constitution, today’s motion turned into a question and answer session, he said.
He also expressed concern over the closure of the session, which was declared a loss of order when he handed it over to Wilson MP Hassan Afeef.
“The fact that the session was delayed for another day without a decision on such a major issue was also an obstacle to further work that we had to do,” he said.
As there are increasing complaints from the MDP parliamentary group about the speaker of the parliament, and at the press conference, journalists questioned why President Nasheed was not removed from the position till now.
Answering the question, MP Shafeeq said the Speaker was also the President of MDP and that he may not be removed from office suddenly, but the MDP parliamentary group leader, Hithadhoo North MP Mohammed Aslam, is thinking deeply about the matter as such incidents are repeated.
“We have respect for him as the party president. We are trying to find a solution by talking to him. That is the only reason,” Shafeeq said.
Recently, members supporting President Nasheed have left the MDP and started working to form a separate political party.
MDP parliamentary group has filed a motion to remove the vice-speaker of parliament, Eva Abdullah, from her post after she left the party.
