Reeko: Nasheed “forcing” expulsion from MDP with his current actions

Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP)’s former chairperson Moosa Manik (Reeko) states the party’s leader and Parliament speaker, former president Mohamed Nasheed was forcing expulsion from MDP with his current actions.

Reeko’s statement comes after Nasheed was the second to add his name to a list of parliamentarians who plan to vote against whip lines issued by MDP’s parliamentary group.

In a text message sent to MDP’s national council Whatsapp group on Monday, the party’s former chairman, West Henveiru MP Hassan Latheef called for members who did not always wish to follow whip lines in light of recent decisions by the parliamentary group to add their name to a list.

“It is clear to ordinary members. It is clear why we vote like that. I hope ordinary members will not expel us from the party,” he wrote.

Nasheed was the second to add his name to the list. By 05:00 pm Monday, 19 members of MDP’s parliamentary group added their names to the list.

The list had come after the parliamentary group voted in favor of submitting a no-confidence motion against Prosecutor General Hussain Shameem at the Parliament. Though the parliamentary group decided to submit the motion, they have yet to issue a whip line regarding the motion.

“Nasheed wants MDP to expel him. He has no chance of completing in the upcoming presidential elections by staying with the party,” said Reeko, who had worked beside Nasheed in MDP for 13 years.

Reeko said that the division within MDP had worsened with President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih’s recent statements, expressing interest in running for re-election.

He said that Nasheed would not dare run against President Solih.

“If Nasheed says not to do something, he means do that for him. If Nasheed says he will not do something, he will do it. If he says not to do something for him, that means he wants to do it,” said Reeko.

Reeko said that Nasheed planned on forcing an expulsion from MDP, and forming his own political party.

“So, his only choice right now is to make some excuse like that and get out from MDP,” he said.

Reeko said the state was already spending heavily on Nasheed, and that his advice would be to avoid expelling him from MDP, even if he violated the whip line.

“If he is expelled from MDP, then the state may have to take on another great burden,” he said.

MDP’s disciplinary committee had decided to expel Reeko from the party in 2016, for violating a three-line whip issued against a no-confidence motion against then-Chief Justice Ahmed Faiz Hussain and then-Justice Ahmed Muthasim Adnan.