Some members of The Democrats have been alleging that the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) is trying to remove Speaker of Parliament Mohamed Nasheed from his post in a bid to obstruct the swearing-in ceremony of President-elect Dr. Mohamed Muizzu.
Medhu Henveiru MP Ali Azim, Democrats parliamentary group leader, said he believes the MDP is planning to impeach Nasheed at the present moment solely for that purpose. But his party would not discuss postponing the impeachment with the MDP, he said.
"I believe it's directly for that purpose [obstructing the swearing-in ceremony of the new President] that they're submitting it at this moment," Azim told Adhadhu today.
"No obstacle to swearing-in ceremony from removing Nasheed"
Despite the allegation by Azim and activists from The Democrats, Hulhumale' MP Ali Niyaz said the MDP has no such intention. Impeaching Nasheed would not pose any obstacle to the swearing-in ceremony, Ali Niyaz told Adhadhu.
"The swearing-in ceremony of the President-elect is organized by the parliament secretariat. There's no obstacle to it from the absence of a certain person in the post of parliament speaker. We don't have that intention either," he said.
There is enough time between now and the swearing-in ceremony to impeach the speaker and elect a new one, he said.
He also detailed the reason for seeking to impeach Nasheed.
"The public gave the parliament's majority to MDP. Nasheed has said that he is part of the new government. Therefore the parliament's chair should be with the MDP," Ali Niyaz said.
The reasons that Nasheed gave to not proceed with a previous no-confidence motion filed against him by the MDP no longer exist, Ali Niyaz said.
