Nazim removed as PNC’s Dhiggaru constituency president

Dhiggaru MP Ahmed Nazim, who recently resigned as Parliament Deputy Speaker in the face of a no-confidence motion, has been removed from his position as president of the ruling People’s National Congress (PNC) for the Dhiggaru constituency.

Tensions surrounding Nazim escalated rapidly after a motion seeking his removal from the Deputy Speaker was submitted, backed by signatures from all PNC parliamentary members. Although the PNC has not publicly disclosed the specific reasons for the move, Nazim resigned from the post as the matter was approaching a floor vote.

Following his resignation from the parliament leadership, PNC, on June 2^nd, decided to remove him from his leadership role within the party’s Dhiggaru constituency. Sources have confirmed to Sun that President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu, who chaired the PNC Senate meeting held on Tuesday, announced the decision. However, the exact grounds for the dismissal have not been disclosed.

When contacted by Sun for comment, PNC’s Spokesperson Mohamed Firzul Abdulla Khaleel said such decisions are typically announced through the party’s official channels. Despite this, PNC has not formally issued a statement confirming Nazim’s removal from the constituency presidency and has declined further comment on the matter.

The no-confidence motion against Nazim submitted to Parliament on May 14th, signed by PNC lawmakers, accused Nazim of abusing his position to exert undue influence, inciting discord, and attempting to undermine the stability within the Parliament. However, the motion failed to provide detailed evidence supporting these allegations.

Following Nazim’s resignation, the PNC elected Ahmed Saleem (Redwave Saleem), a veteran lawmaker representing Eydhafushi constituency, as the new Deputy Speaker during a sitting held on June 1^st.

Former president Mohamed Nasheed has alleged that the PNC moved against Nazim because he was reportedly coordinating with 23 other lawmakers to initiate an impeachment motion against President Muizzu. PNC has firmly denied these claims, maintaining that its parliamentary group remains united in support of the government.

Former president Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has also stated that a faction within the PNC may be preparing to break away and oppose the administration. Similar claims have been echoed by the political alliance involving former president Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayyoom and two former Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) leaders. Nasheed has repeatedly suggested that the current administration could be overthrown before the end of the year, a sentiment recently echoed by Solih.

Internal divisions within the PNC also surfaced during the vote to elect Saleem as Deputy Speaker, amid allegations that some PNC lawmakers may have voted for the MDP candidate.

While 74 lawmakers participated in the vote, Saleem secured 62 votes. MDP’s candidate Vaikaradhoo MP Hussain Ziyad received 10 vote and two votes were declared invalid. Given that only eight MDP members were present at the sitting, and members from the Jumhooree Party, Maldives National Party, and Maldives Development Alliance were not present, it appears that at least two non-MDP members voted for Ziyad. The two invalid votes have further fueled speculation among parliamentarians, although the PNC has not commented on the matter.