EC informs Parliament of resignation of 12 MPs from MDP

Elections Commission (EC) has informed the Parliament of the resignation of 12 MPs from the main ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP).

Opening Thursday’s sitting, Speaker Mohamed Nasheed said that according to parliamentary regulations, the 12 MPs would need to send letters informing the Parliament on their resignation before they can be removed from the party register with the Parliament.

The 12 MPs, all of whom belong to Nasheed’s ‘Fikuregge Dhirun’ faction, left MDP on Wednesday.

However, Nasheed has yet to leave the party, which he founded in 2003.

The 12 MPs who left MDP are:

• Deputy Speaker Eva Abdulla
• Ungoofaaru MP Mohamed Waheed (Wadde)
• North Maafannu MP Imthiyaz Fahmy (Inthi)
• West Henveiru MP Hassan Latheef
• Hulhudhoo MP Ilyas Labeeb
• North Kulhudhuffushi MP Yasir Abdul Latheef
• Vilufushi MP Hassan Afeef
• Central Maafannu MP Ibrahim Rasheed (Bonde)
• Madaveli MP Hussain Firushan
• Thoddoo MP Hussain Shiyan
• South Machangolhi MP Mohamed Rasheed (Boadhigu)
• Gadhdhoo MP Ahmed Zahir

Their resignation had come after MDP’s parliamentary group requested action against some of them for involvement in submitting no-confidence motions against government ministers.

One of the most prominent members of the ‘Fikuregge Dhirun’ faction, Central Henveiru MP Ali Azim was expelled from the party over the issue last Tuesday.

Meanwhile, MDP MPs loyal to President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih have begun collecting signatures for a no-confidence motion to remove Eva as Deputy Speaker.