MDP Chairperson Fayyaz Ismail has called on Speaker of the Parliament Mohamed Nasheed to face the vote of no-confidence that MDP is trying to orchestrate against the Speaker.
This comes after the Parliament twice rejected the resolution submitted by MDP against the Speaker. MP for Vilifushi Constituency Hassan Afeef initially rejected the resolution at the first session held today and the Deputy Speaker of the Parliament Eva Abdullah supported his decision at the second session held today.
Following the events at the Parliament today, Fayyaz said in a post on 'X' that the atrocities of former speaker of Parliament Abdullah Maseeh have paled into insignificance with today's shameful, cowardly act by MP Hassan Afeef to avoid the no-confidence motion.
Fayyaz, who is also the Economic Minister, described today as a dark and shameful day for parliamentary democracy in Maldives. He concluded his post by calling on Nasheed to face the no-confidence vote.
MDP submitted the resolution last month with signatures from 49 MPs but has not been able to conclude the resolution due to several delays.
Several sessions were canceled after the resolution was put on the agenda as the Deputy Speaker of the Parliament remains on sick leave. The Parliament Standing Order dictates that only the Deputy Speaker can chair a session that could remove its Speaker.
But MDP turned to the Supreme Court for a ruling on the matter and the top Court ruled that the Parliament's interpretation of its own Standing Order was incorrect and that any other MP can chair the session to remove Nasheed from his post.
