JP no longer member of coalition if Gasim stands for speakership: PPM

Governing council of the ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) has said that the coalition agreement will be cancelled and JP will cease to be a member of the coalition if Jumhoory Party (JP) leader Gasim Ibrahim stands for parliament speakership on Wednesday.

PPM deputy leaders; Tourism Minister Ahmed Adheeb and Fonadhoo MP Abdulla Abdul Raheem announced the decision at an extraordinary press conference following a meeting of the party’s council on Monday night. The decision was unanimous, Adheeb said.

“If the agreement is cancelled, the coalition will cease to exist. At that point, PPM will inform the government to give all the (political) posts (to PPM),” said Tourism Minister Adheeb.

He said that PPM won the majority of seats in new parliament and that PPM should hold the speakership. The speakership was not promised to Gasim in the coalition agreement, Adheeb said.

He further said that PPM will consent to a JP member as deputy speaker, granted that a PPM MP sits as the speaker.

Speaking at the press conference, Fonadhoo MP Abdulla Abdul Raheem said Gasim Ibrahim’s recent meeting with opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MPs to win their votes in hopes of securing the speakership, was a violation of the coalition agreement.

President Abdulla Yameen on Sunday endorsed Fuvahmulah-south MP Abdulla Maseeh as Speaker of the Parliament and Fonadhoo MP Abdulla Abdul Raheem as Deputy Speaker of the Parliament.

The 18th parliament will take its oath and elect a new speaker and deputy speaker at its first sitting on Wednesday.