Nasheed says PNC is unraveling and must replace its leadership before the party collapses

The ruling PNC is now unraveling and it is time to change the party’s leadership, former President and MDP Chairman Mohamed Nasheed said on Wednesday evening.

Speaking on Sangu TV, Nasheed referred to the scenes that unfolded in Parliament earlier in the day. He said PNC MP for Mahchangolhi North, Ibrahim Mohamed (Janab Ibrahim), had displayed rude and undisciplined behaviour inside the chamber.

Wednesday’s sitting was held to debate the Human Organ Transplant Bill. During the debate, Ibrahim expressed anger over the former Nasheed administration’s decision to bring in Israeli ophthalmologists, alleging that they removed parts of Maldivians’ eyes.

He was speaking when MDP Parliamentary Group Deputy Leader and Vaikaradhoo MP Hussain Ziyad (Fitte) raised a point of order. When the Speaker gave Fitte the floor, Ibrahim also raised a point of order and condemned the Speaker for “stopping” his speech.

Ibrahim grew increasingly angry, pointing fingers at both Ziyad and Speaker Abdul Raheem. Abdul Raheem reminded him that this was how Parliament functioned and urged him to respect the rules of procedure.

Referring to these events, Nasheed said some government MPs were speaking without discipline or order in parliament. Such conduct, he said, does not reflect the noble principles prescribed in Islam, adding that lawmakers must address each other and speak in accordance with the rules of the place.

Nasheed said the Speaker had been forced to repeatedly remind his own party members to follow parliamentary rules.

“These are very, very unusual sights. They [PNC] are breaking up. The people of Maldives will probably see it more clearly yet. Now they are just unraveling completely,” said MDP Chairman Mohamed Nasheed.

Turning to the current leader of the PNC, President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu, Nasheed said he has lost his popularity. He claimed the President himself no longer believes Maldivians are listening to him.

https://t.co/UyL9qfgCQF

— Sangu TV (@Sangu_TV) June 17, 2026

Nasheed said the PNC faces a major responsibility as the party prepares to hold a congress, a congress at which, he predicted, the party will attempt to remove President Muizzu from the party presidency.

“I think this is the time to remove him from the party leadership. Otherwise, the party will not be saved. As in other countries in the world, the party leader will have to change when he loses popularity,” said Nasheed.

Nasheed, who recently became MDP chairman after a competitive election, is preparing to hold activities expressing his dissatisfaction with the government. He said the MDP plans to hold a massive protest on Thursday evening, accusing the government of taking action against employees of state‑owned companies who meet him.

Nasheed rejoined the MDP in 2025 after leaving the party following disagreements with former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih. At the time, he had sharply criticised the government led by his own party and had threatened to break up the party during the presidential race in which the PNC ultimately won.