The ruling People’s National Congress (PNC) has secured the necessary signatures to submit a no-confidence motion against Dhiggaru MP Ahmed Nazim to remove him from his position as Deputy Speaker of the People’s Majlis.
Sources informed Adhadhu that over 40 MPs have signed the petition to oust Nazim. The motion is expected to be formally submitted to the Parliament soon.
Earlier today, Nazim was removed from the WhatsApp group used for internal communications by PNC parliamentary members.
It follows his dismissal from two of the Parliament’s most influential committees on April 21. Nazim was stripped of his seats on both the State-Owned Enterprises (SOE) Committee and the National Security Services (241) Committee.
Furthermore, two separate sources have confirmed to Adhadhu that the Police Intelligence Department has compiled an extensive report on Nazim.
Sources indicate that the police are investigating Nazim for "very serious criminal allegations."
Nazim is regarded as one of the most experienced politicians currently active in the Maldives. He previously served as Deputy Speaker of the Parliament from 2009 until 2015.
Nazim was once a close ally of former President Abdulla Yameen and played a pivotal role in Yameen’s first political party, the People’s Alliance (PA).
However, following a political fallout after Yameen assumed the presidency, Nazim was sentenced to 25 years in prison in 2015 on fraud charges. Later that year, after traveling to Singapore on medical leave, he sought political asylum in the United Kingdom.
Nazim returned to the Maldives in 2018 after the Supreme Court overturned his conviction.
The PNC parliamentary group currently holds 74 seats in the People’s Majlis.
