MNP Vice-President and Villimalé Constituency Member Ahmed Usham has said that the MDP will not participate in the removal of Parliament Speaker Mohammed Nasheed from office.
The Maldivian Democratic Party’s parliamentary group has moved a no-confidence motion against Speaker Mohammed Nasheed in parliament with 54 signatures.
He said the MNP had repeatedly complained about Nasheed’s wrongdoing while in the presidency but the MDP did not listen to them when they had a full majority in parliament.
“Then now that things have changed politically, the MNP does not want to get involved in it. We do not want to get involved in the political theatrics,” Usham said.
The 54 members who have signed the petition include 50 members of the MDP, Kaashidhoo MP Abdullah Jaabir, Nolhivaram MP Mohammed Nasheed, Thulusdhoo MP Ibrahim Naseem and Meedhoo MP Ahmed Shiyam Mohammed.
Kulhudhufushi South MP Jamsheed Mohamed, Bilehdhoo MP Ahmed Haleem, Hithadhoo Central MP Ahmed Rasheed and Fonadhoo MP Moosa Siraj did not sign the no confidence motion on behalf of the party.
The impeachment of the Speaker of Parliament is moved by a resolution signed by not less than one-fourth of the total number of members of Parliament. The resolution shall state the reason for the dismissal, according to the rules of the parliament.
The reasons for the proposed dismissal include:
- Work stopped without forming committees.
- Leaving the speakers position every day without announcing a reason.
- Supporting members who are trying to disrupt the parliamentary system.
- Participate in debates in Parliament while presiding.
- Obstruction of Attorney General Ibrahim Riffath’s case.
- Holding a personal grudges against some members.
The motion of no confidence in President Nasheed was passed by the MDP Parliamentary Group at its meeting yesterday. The decision was taken after things went to the point where they could not continue with Nasheed as the Speaker of Parliament according to PG leader MP Aslam.
The no-confidence motion in the Deputy-Speaker of Parliament, Eva Abdullah , has also been moved.
This comes while MDP had raised its concerns over how Speaker Nasheed is running the parliament. MDP parliamentary group media coordinator, MP Mohammed Abdullah Shafeeq expressed MDP’s concerns over the behaviour of President Nasheed to local media at a press conference held earlier this week at the parliament building.
“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.
