No-confidence petition endorsed by 55 members submitted against Gapo

A petition endorsed by 55 members was submitted to the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) on Wednesday, demanding the party’s national council to take a no-confidence vote against interim chairperson Abdul Ghafoor Moosa.

The petition, initiated by members loyal to former Maldivian president Mohamed Nasheed, was submitted to the MDP headquarters in Male’ on Wednesday afternoon.

They allege that Abdul Ghafoor was making his decision under orders from “someone else”, and had dismissed top party officials in violation of the party’s constitution.

The petitioners allege that Abdul Ghafoor’s actions have created uncertainty among the party’s general members, and damage public trust in the MDP.

???? ގިނަ އަދަދެއްގެ ގައުމީ މަޖިލިސް މެންބަރުން ސޮޔާއެކު އެމްޑީޕީގެ ވަގުތީ ޗެއާޕާސަންގެ މަގާމުން @mpgapo (ގަޕޯ) ވަކި ކުރަން ހުށައަޅައިފި.#ResignGapo pic.twitter.com/r1U32WY52t

— Hussain Shafiu (@charly_thuthu) April 8, 2026

Dismissal of party chairperson requires the majority vote of the national council. The national council has 123 members, and the quorum is 31.

The internal turmoil comes with the main opposition party fresh from its victory in the local council elections and referendum held last weekend.

On Monday night, former president Mohamed Nasheed and former party chairperson Fayyaz Ismail boycotted the rally held by the MDP in Male’ City to celebrate its election victory, after they were reportedly denied the chance to speak at the event.

The turmoil deepened further on Tuesday, after the party’ deputy chairperson Ibrahim Waheed (Iburey) and legal director Ahmd Mauroof (Matey) were abruptly dismissed with no explanation.

Iburey rejects his dismissal.

He told Sun that the party’s chairperson does not have the authority to dismiss him without approval from the national council.

“This removal is not allowed under the party constitution. I do not accept that the chairperson can just dismiss me like this,” he said.

Iburey had been among members loyal to Nasheed who boycotted Monday’s rally after the former Maldivian leader was denied the chance to speak at the event.

But in a post on X after the rally, Abdul Ghafoor said that Nasheed and Fayyaz had not originally been scheduled to speak at the event, but that he had been working to add them to the agenda after they requested the chance to speak.

He also slammed the spread of statements designed to cause discord within the party, and urged unity.

The incident highlights the divisions that continue to linger within the MDP, even after Nasheed and his allies returned to the party after their 2023 exit to form the Democrats.