The opposition Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) said on Tuesday that there was no reason to remove former president Mohamed Nasheed as speaker of parliament as decided by the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP).
The MDP decided to remove Nasheed - who remains the party's president - as speaker for stalling a no-confidence motion against attorney general Ibrahim Riffath.
Speaking to Adhadhu on behalf of the PPM, Naifaru MP Ahmed Shiyam said Nasheed has not done anything to warrant impeachment and that the PPM does not support a no-confidence motion.
"It's only if he has done something worthy of removal that president Nasheed should be removed. We can't think of a reason to remove president Nasheed as speaker. It might be because president Nasheed doesn't do whatever the government wants," Shiyam said.
When the attorney general first responded in writing to the no-confidence motion - which contends that his litigation was detrimental to the state in a dispute where an international court demarcated the country’s southern exclusive economic zone - the speaker decided not to call a vote on Wednesday.
But when Riffath appeared in person at Monday’s sitting and attempted to speak in his defense, MPs took consecutive points of order and interrupted him. Speaker Nasheed allowed a high number of points of order.
At the beginning of Tuesday’s sitting, Faresmaathoda MP Hussain Mohamed Latheef submitted a privileges complaint against Riffath.
The complaint was not passed for a debate but the opposition argued that parliament could not proceed with the no-confidence motion without a decision on the privileges issue.
The speaker decided to hold the no-confidence motion and proceed to the next item on the agenda.
MDP MPs protested in the chamber over the decision to park the motion. While they were protesting, Nasheed decided to adjourn for the tea break. Vilufushi MP Hassan Afeef would preside when the sitting resumes, Nasheed announced.
