Nasheed thanks Fayyaz for his ‘hard work’ in resolving MDP’s internal rift

Fayyaz Ismail, the former chairperson of Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), worked hard to resolve the recent internal conflict within the party, according to former Maldivian president Mohamed Nasheed.

The internal turmoil came with the main opposition party fresh from its victory in the local council elections and referendum held on April 4.

On April 6, Nasheed and Fayyaz boycotted a 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 the next day, after the party’ deputy chairperson Ibrahim Waheed (Iburey) and legal director Ahmd Mauroof (Matey) were abruptly dismissed by interim chairperson Abdul Ghafoor Moosa (Gapo).

On April 8, 55 members loyal to Nasheed and Fayyaz filed a petition demanding a no-confidence vote against Abdul Ghafoor. The party’s national council is set to vote on the motion on Monday.

But during a rally in Lh. Hinnavaru on Friday night, former president Ibrahim Mohamed Solih announced that the internal conflict has been resolved, and that all parties involved have come to a common understanding.

In a post on X on Saturday morning, Nasheed thanked Fayyaz for his “hard work in resolving the internal conflicts.”

“I also congratulate President Solih and party’s president Abdulla Shahid” he added.

@MDPSecretariat ge ethereyge khilaaf thah hamajehssevumah Fayyaz Ismail @faya_i kurehvi bura masahkathah shukuru dhannavan. Raees Solih @ibusolih aai Party ge Raees Abdulla Shahid @abdulla_shahid ah ves marhabaa dhannavan.

— Mohamed Nasheed (@MohamedNasheed) April 11, 2026

He did not mention Abdul Ghafoor, who has stated that Nasheed and Fayyaz had not originally been scheduled to speak at the April 6 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.

During Friday’s rally, Solih said that the MDP leadership will be working together to win the 2028 presidential elections, which he, Nasheed and Fayyaz have all voiced interest in contesting.

The MDP had also faced an internal rift in the leadup to the 2023 presidential elections, as both Nasheed and Solih vied for the party’s presidential ticket. Nasheed, along with members loyal to him, left the MDP after Solih won the ticket, and formed a new party, the Democrats.

 But Nasheed, who famously vowed to “dismantle” the MDP, returned to the party and also joined campaign events in the atolls for the local council elections.

Members loyal to Nasheed say the former president deserves credit for MDP’s election victory.