Some MPs from the ruling People's National Congress (PNC) have expressed interest in working with the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) and Democrats to remove President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu from office, MDP has said.
At a press conference yesterday, MDP Deputy Chairperson Ahmed Abdulla, MP for Baarah, said it was possible that MPs from parties in addition to the Democrats could work together for impeachment and that some MPs have expressed interest in it.
When Adhadhu asked whether they include MPs from the ruling PNC, MDP Parliamentary Group (PG) Leader Mohamed Rasheed Hussain said he believed the impeachment effort will proceed with the support of government MPs.
"Is there [interest] from people from other parties in impeaching the President? It is there even now. And we believe that this will be done with the support of people from the government," he said.
Adhadhu has learned that 34 MPs have signed the President's impeachment motion so far. But they do not include any pro-government MPs, MDP said yesterday.
The number of signatures needed to submit an impeachment motion against the President is 26.
After the opposition began the impeachment effort, the government filed a case at the Supreme Court over changes brought to Parliament's rules of procedure concerning the impeachment process.
Attorney General Ahmed Usham confirmed to Adhadhu that a constitutional case was filed at the Supreme Court on Sunday.
According to the amended rules, the total membership of Parliament would be the number of sitting MPs at present. Instead of considering the total membership to be 87 MPs, the number was brought down to 80 MPs.
The rule change shifted the majority and brought down the number of votes needed to impeach the President and Vice President to 54. At the time, the number of MDP MPs was enough for impeachment.
Despite collecting signatures for the President's impeachment after approval by the PG, a date for submitting the motion to Parliament has not been determined yet, MDP said yesterday.
