Saleem was appointed Deputy Speaker of Parliament to ensure the position is held by a figure with minimal controversy: Ali Hussain
Former Member of Parliament Ali Hussain stated that Saleem was elected as the Deputy Speaker of the People's Majlis with the intention of appointing the least controversial candidate to the position. Speaking on a RaajjeTV program, he noted that this decision was a strategic move aimed at minimizing potential political criticism and internal dissent.
Former Kendhoo MP Ali Hussain speaking during RaajjeTV’s "Fala Surukhee" program. | Raajje MV
Former Member of Parliament and legal expert Ali Hussain has stated that Saleem was appointed as the Deputy Speaker of the People’s Majlis to ensure the position was filled by someone with minimal controversy or potential for conflict.
He made these remarks while speaking on RaajjeTV’s "Fala Surukhee" program. Eydhafushi MP Ahmed Saleem was elected as the Deputy Speaker of the People’s Majlis on Monday. During Monday's parliamentary sitting, Saleem was appointed to the vacant Deputy Speaker position with 62 votes in favor out of the 72 members who participated in the voting.
Competing against Saleem in the vote was Hussain Ziyad, the Member of Parliament for the Vaikaradhoo constituency. Ziyad secured 10 votes. Speaker of the Parliament Abdul Raheem Abdulla, presiding over the session, announced that two invalid votes were cast; consequently, the final tally excluded those two ballots. Ali Hussain remarked that the outcome would have been significantly different had anyone other than Saleem contested the vote.
He further noted the possibility of a no-confidence motion being initiated against the Speaker of Parliament in the future. Ali Hussain added that the hesitation to remove Speaker Abdul Raheem Abdulla stems from his role as a key figure capable of mitigating potential shocks to the government during times of crisis.
"It is possible that instead of a formal removal from office, they may opt to expel members from the party, thereby triggering the direct loss of their parliamentary seats. This is a plausible course of action, as the law is structured to allow for it. In reality, President Muizzu no longer holds any significant influence among the members," Ali Hussain said.
The position of Deputy Speaker of Parliament became vacant following the resignation of Ahmed Nazim, the Member of Parliament for the Dhiggaru constituency. Rumors have been circulating that measures are being prepared in response to President Muizzu’s diminishing influence within Parliament. However, the People’s National Congress (PNC) parliamentary group has denied these reports.
