MDP says Nasheed's removal as speaker not yet warranted
When asked why the decision was being delayed, Shafeeg reiterated that because Nasheed was still MDP president.
By
Mohamed Muzayyin Nazim
Despite concerns over parliamentary conduct, speaker Mohamed Nasheed has not been removed from his post as the time has not yet come, MDP’s parliamentary group said on Monday.
MDP MPs have been raising concerns that Nasheed has been running parliament sittings in violation of the parliament's rules of procedure.
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On Monday, debate on the no-confidence motion against Attorney General Ibrahim Riffath was conducted in violation of the rules of procedure, according to MDP MPs
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Following the complaints, the MDP parliamentary group held a press conference at the parliament secretariat after the sitting
Responding to a question from Atoll Times, MDP parliamentary group spokesperson, Velidhoo MP Mohamed Abdulla Shafeeg said that they were hesitant to remove Nasheed because he was "the party president as well".
"When a problem arises or if a problem is repeating, we cannot just go ahead with a no-confidence motion against the president right away. It might not be submitted," said the MP, who had worked closely with Nasheed in the past, at his first press conference as media coordinator for the party's parliamentary group.
Citing parliamentary group leader Mohamed Aslam of Hithadhoo North constituency, Shafeeg said he was "thinking deeply" about Nasheed's removal. However, no decision has been taken yet, he said.
"However, since it is not the time for it yet, the work on it is not being done," Shafeeg said.
Earlier, the parliamentary group had made it clear that it would consider removing Nasheed. When asked why the decision was being delayed, Shafeeg reiterated that because Nasheed was still MDP president.
"We respect the party president. We are looking at whether we can do it immediately [or] find a solution by talking more," said Shafeeg, who had supported President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih in MDP's presidential primary after having joined the Nasheed faction before.
Although Nasheed is still the MDP president, efforts are underway to form a new political party under his leadership. As many as 13 lawmakers including deputy speaker Eva Abdulla had signed up to The Democrats party.
After Eva left the party to form a new political party, a motion has now been moved in parliament to remove her from the post of deputy speaker.
Speaking at the press conference, Shafeeg said that no decision has been taken yet on who will be appointed as the deputy speaker.
