MP Nizar opposes separation of Feydhoo from Addu City Council
The 25 October referendum will be the first vote of its kind to be held in the Maldives under the new referendum law.
Addu Feydhoo North MP Ismail Nizar has said he now supports keeping Feydhoo within the Addu City Council, ahead of the upcoming referendum on whether three islands in Addu should form separate island councils.
The referendum will take place on 25 October in Feydhoo, Hulhudhoo and Meedhoo. These islands will vote separately from the rest of Addu, following requests from residents seeking to establish individual councils.
In a post on Facebook on Friday, Nizar said his views had changed since he initially supported separating Feydhoo from the city council.
“I signed a letter to President Mohamed Muizzu asking to change the current composition of the Addu Council based on the information I received at the time,” Nizar wrote.
He said that after reviewing the situation over the past year, he now believes the connected islands of Addu should remain together under a single council.
“I think the connected neighbourhoods of Addu should remain together, considering the advantages and disadvantages of changing the current composition,” he added.
The MP referred to the connected islands of Hithadhoo, Maradhoo, Maradhoo-Feydhoo and Feydhoo, which are linked by a causeway. Feydhoo is located on the same land as Maradhoo. Of these, only Feydhoo will participate in the referendum.
Nizar, who represents Feydhoo North constituency, said he would respect the outcome of the vote regardless of the result. Feydhoo South MP Ibrahim Didi (IB), however, supports forming a separate council for Feydhoo.
Independent MP Abdul Rahman has also expressed support for Meedhoo establishing its own island council. Hulhudhoo and Meedhoo residents have previously advocated for separate administrative councils.
Currently, Addu City is governed under a single city council that oversees all six islands, including the two outlying islands and the four connected by road.
The 25 October referendum will be the first vote of its kind to be held in the Maldives under the new referendum law.
