Fayyaz accuses Waddey of helping fracture the party

Former Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) Chairperson Fayyaz Ismail has accused former Ungoofaaru MP Mohamed Waheed (Waddey) of playing a major role in weakening the party.

Fayyaz is contesting the 2028 presidential election with the backing of former President Mohamed Nasheed, and is also working to bring Nasheed back to the MDP chairmanship. Waddey is part of that faction and works closely with Nasheed.

On Thursday, Waddey posted on X expressing concern that the coalition partners were given too much influence during the last MDP administration, questioning who was responsible for weakening the party. He later deleted the post.

Fayyaz responded sharply, and did not delete his response.

“You are one of the individuals who played a leading role in weakening the MDP,” Fayyaz wrote, in a post that can be translated to carry that meaning.

In a follow‑up post, Fayyaz said the MDP would not progress by trying to “compensate for the pain in the heart,” echoing remarks he made when he resigned as party chair.

“But the pain from that injury is still there. I remember. I want a way forward. Get the country back. The only way it is happening …,” he wrote, ending the post with hashtags linked to Nasheed’s campaign.

ހިތަށްވީ ތަދުގެ ބަދަލު ހޯދަން އުޅެގެން އެމްޑީޕީއަށް ލިބޭނެ ކުރިއެރުމެއް ނެތް . އެހެނަސް އެވީތަދުގެ ރިހުން އެބަހުރި، ހަނދާން އެބަހުރި. ބޭނުމީ ކުރިޔައްދެވޭނެ ގޮތެއް. ގައުމު އަނބުރާ ހޯދުން. އެކަން ކުރެވެން އަންނަނީ…#BoduBadhalu #VoteAnni #AnniForChair ????????

— Fayyaz Ismail (@faya_i) May 7, 2026

While Fayyaz openly criticised Waddey, a close ally of Nasheed, many within the MDP believe the party’s internal split was the primary reason for its defeat in the 2023 presidential election. After Nasheed and his supporters formed The Democrats, they campaigned against the MDP. Waddey also left the MDP and spent the final part of his parliamentary term with The Democrats.

They returned to the MDP last year. Since then, Nasheed and Fayyaz have been working together, with Waddey also active in Nasheed’s campaign faction.