MDP to elect interim chair again on Monday; only Gapo contests

The Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) will reconvene its National Assembly on Monday night at 20:30 hrs to elect an interim chairperson, Deputy Chair Ibrahim Waheed confirmed on Thursday.  

The meeting comes after two failed attempts to appoint a temporary leader following the resignation of Fayyaz Ismail on November 23. Fayyaz, who had served as MDP Chairperson since May 2022, stepped down citing internal unrest and a desire to give party leaders Ibrahim Mohamed Solih and Abdulla Shahid space to steer the party’s affairs.  

At earlier sessions, factions backed different candidates:  

• Former Speaker Mohamed Aslam, supported by Solih’s faction, was ruled ineligible as he is not a National Assembly member.  

• Former Dhidhdhoo MP Abdulla Waheed, backed by Nasheed’s faction, briefly claimed victory after a disputed vote count but resigned on November 30.  

Party president Abdulla Shahid said the presiding members intervened twice during the vote, disrupting the session and preventing a valid outcome. He recommended restarting the process to ensure legitimacy.  

With Waheed’s resignation, the field has narrowed. Hanimaadhoo MP Abdul Ghafoor Moosa (Gapo) is now the sole contender for the interim chairmanship.  

Deputy Chair Ibrahim Waheed has been temporarily managing the responsibilities of the post until a new chairperson is elected. The leadership vacuum itself stems from the party’s internal rift, which deepend when former President Mohamed Nasheed left to form The Democrats. Monday’s meeting is expected to determine whether the MDP can finally resolve the vacancy and stabilize its leadership structure.