Deputy Speaker Nazim accused of abuse of office to create strife and disorder

Deputy Speaker Ahmed Nazim repeatedly misused public office to create strife and disharmony within the Parliament, according to the no-confidence motion filed against him fellow parliamentarians from the ruling People’s National Congress (PNC).

A no-confidence motion against the Dhiggaru representative, endorsed by 73 members of his party, was submitted to the Parliament on Thursday morning.

The parliamentarians allege that Nazim abused his office to create strife and undermine the Parliament’s interests.

However, they did not explain the exact reasons behind the serious allegations.

He was also accused of hindering members of the Parliament from performing their duties.

“Because, in addition to abusing his office, creating strife, and repeatedly exhibiting bias towards a specific faction in a manner that undermines institutional harmony, the Majlis’ Deputy Speaker has been demonstrating prejudice and favoring a specific political ideology in all proceedings of the People’s Majlis, and has been inciting disruption of parliamentary order and neglecting his responsibilities,” reads the motion.

Nazim risks losing his position as Deputy Speaker if all 73 members who endorsed the motion vote against him.

However, the exact issue that led to Nazim falling out with members of his party remains unclear.

Ibrahim Falah, the leader of PNC’s parliamentary group, has not responded to requests seeking a comment, despite repeated messages and phone calls.

Nazim has also remained unavailable for comment.

Nazim, who was pulled in late April from key parliamentary committees he sat in, was kicked out at around 06:00 am Wednesday from a WhatsApp group for PNC parliamentarians managed by President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu.

A senior parliamentarian from the party told Sun that Nazim was instructed to resign, and that the party decided to file a no-confidence motion to force him out after he refused.

A no-confidence petition against the Deputy Speaker needs the endorsement of 24 parliamentarians to be filed with the Parliament – an easy feat for the PNC, which holds a supermajority in the Parliament with 75 out of 93 seats.

The push to remove Nazim from his position as Deputy Speaker comes with the government preparing to submit an amendment to the Political Parties Act, declaring the procedure for removal of parliamentarians.

The bill comes after the Supreme Court decided on April 29 that there was no basis to annul the contentious anti-defection clauses written into the Constitution in 2024 that empower political parties to unseat parliamentarians.

Nazim now risks losing his Parliament seat if he resigns from or is dismissed or expelled from the PNC.

However, the PNC has yet to decide to expel Nazim from the party itself.

The no-confidence motion comes after Nazim was pulled on April 21 from the Public Accounts Committee and the Security Services Committee (241 Committee) – the most powerful committees of the legislative assembly.

His sudden removal from the committees had sparked speculations that the PNC planned to file a no-confidence motion against him. However, the rumors were denied by Falah back then.