MDP warns Hulhudhoo council president of disciplinary action over internal disputes

The Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has instructed Addu Hulhudhoo Council President Jaadhulla Jameel to address complaints concerning the council's administration before referring the matter to the party's disciplinary committee.

The instruction was issued on Saturday by the MDP's Decentralisation Committee, which is investigating disputes within the Hulhudhoo Council following concerns raised by residents and party members.

The council, where the MDP holds four of the five seats, has been affected by disagreements between Jaadhulla and three other MDP councillors.

Among the complaints is an allegation that Jaadhulla has been making decisions independently without consulting other councillors or seeking approval through formal council meetings.

The dispute also concerns the appointment of Moosa Siddeeq, who previously served as the council's acting Secretary General.

Siddeeq had contested the Hulhudhoo Council presidency on the ruling People's National Congress (PNC) ticket but lost the election.

MDP councillors subsequently submitted a no-confidence motion against Siddeeq. However, Jaadhulla allegedly prevented the matter from being placed on the council's agenda.

In a letter signed by MDP Decentralisation Committee Chairman and former Hulhumalé MP Ali Niyaz, the party said Jaadhulla had failed to address issues identified in earlier instructions.

The committee had initially written to Jaadhulla on 20 September, directing him to resolve six issues within 10 days. The latest correspondence did not specify all six matters.

According to the committee, further requests were made after the deadline expired, but the concerns remained unresolved.

The letter also stated that some of the matters identified during the investigation could potentially constitute criminal offences.

The party warned that failure to address the issues following a further letter sent on Sunday would result in the necessary action being taken.

Speaking to Dhauru, Niyaz said the latest communication was intended to give Jaadhulla an opportunity to resolve the issues before the matter was referred to the party's disciplinary committee.

He said a subcommittee had been assigned to prepare a fact-finding report on the dispute.

"A subcommittee has been tasked with preparing a fact-finding report. The report is almost complete. We are hoping to place it on the agenda of the committee meeting next Sunday," Niyaz said.

The Decentralisation Committee is expected to review the findings before deciding whether further action is required.

The Hulhudhoo Council consists of five members, four of whom belong to the MDP, including Jaadhulla.

The remaining three MDP councillors have been involved in disagreements with the council president over the administration of the council.