President Muizzu’s impeachment is a ‘false dream’, says Abdul Raheem

Taking an impeachment vote in the Parliament against President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu is a false dream by the opposition, says Speaker Abdul Raheem Abdulla.

Abdul Raheem, the chairperson of the ruling People’s National Congress (PNC), made the remark during a rally held in Addu City on Saturday night to launch the campaign for Ahmed Saeed (Soda), his party’s candidate for the upcoming North Hithadhoo by-election.

Addressing the rally, Abdul Raheem described the rumored attempt to impeach President Muizzu through the Parliament, in which the PNC holds a supermajority, as a “false dream” by the opposition.

“What I want to say tonight is, stop showing people a false dream. You cannot take an impeachment vote against President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu at the Parliament. We will not allow you that chance,” he said.

The remarks come after former President Mohamed Nasheed, during a campaign rally in Male’ on Thursday, alleged that the PNC’s parliamentary group filed the no-confidence motion against Deputy Speaker Ahmed Nazim because he and 23 other parliamentarians from the party planned to cross party lines and submit an impeachment motion against President Muizzu.

Abdul Raheem added that he does not see the main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) doing any concrete work at the Parliament to hold the government accountable, and does not believe the party will make any difference even if their candidate, former Addu City Mayor Abdulla Sodiq (Soabe), got elected.

“The current MDP members aren’t able to do much from within the People’s Majlis to hold the government accountable. They don’t. I do not believe there’s anything more they can do by having Abdulla Sodiq join them,” he said.

Abdul Raheem insisted that it will be the PNC that develops Addu, and said that the Parliament does not need a member who will be the first to sign an impeachment motion against President Muizzu.