President Muizzu believes that no one should have the authority to hold him accountable, and that is precisely why the laws are being amended: Niyaz

Former Member of Parliament for the Hulhumale' constituency, Ali Niyaz, has stated that President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu believes no other authority should have the right to challenge or hold influence over him, asserting that constitutional amendments are being pursued to achieve this objective.

The main opposition party, MDP, staged a protest inside the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) on Wednesday, calling for the resignation of its President, Adam Shamil. In response, Niyaz highlighted that the 2008 "Green Constitution" established the separation of powers in the country. He noted that the Constitution was designed to allow independent institutions to operate autonomously, a principle that has been upheld for the past 18 years.

However, Niyaz stated that President Muizzu has suddenly found the current situation inconvenient and is consequently tampering with the Constitution to suit his own interests.

President Muizzu’s actions suggest that he finds the existence of democracy in the Maldives to be an inconvenience. It appears he is troubled by the specific provisions currently enshrined in the Constitution. However, the Constitution was not designed to cater to the ease or comfort of whoever holds power. It was established to determine what is best for the Maldivian people, to safeguard their rights, and to ensure that elections are conducted independently. This is the order established within the Constitution.

Ali Niyaz, the former Member of Parliament for the Hulhumale' constituency.

Niyaz stated that the initial step taken to destabilize the system was exerting undue influence over the appointments of the presidents of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), the Human Rights Commission of the Maldives (HRCM), and the Elections Commission. He further noted that it was at this juncture the MDP began raising concerns, warning that the country was heading in a very dangerous direction.

What we are witnessing is an attempt to assert that because he is the individual elected by the people, no other entity or person should have the authority to challenge him. The logic being applied is that if the Constitution allows for such oversight, it must be changed. This is exactly what is unfolding. With the President holding a supermajority in Parliament, the Constitution is being amended at his whim. For instance, the decision to mandate a referendum was finalized after just a single day of deliberation and a mere two hours of debate.

Former Member of Parliament for the Hulhumale' constituency, Ali Niyaz.

Despite the current situation, Niyaz noted that a referendum had previously been held in 2007, and the public would have witnessed how the process was conducted and how information was shared at the time. He further remarked that those were different times, suggesting that governance under President Maumoon’s administration was far more autocratic. Nevertheless, Niyaz pointed out that even then, the President had shown respect for those processes.

Senior officials and members of the MDP gathered at the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) around 10:45 a.m. on Wednesday to stage a protest. During the demonstration, they called for the immediate resignation of the Commission's President, Adam Shamil.

The MDP has alleged that the government is openly distributing bribes in connection with the Local Council Elections, the Women's Development Committee elections, and the referendum scheduled for April 4th. Furthermore, the party expressed grave concern, stating that the current administration has undermined the fundamental characteristics of a functional state.