Council moves to oust Maumoon from PPM

The council of ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) has filed a formal request with the ethics committee to oust its leader, former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom from the party.

The suggestion was made by PPM lawmaker, MP Ibrahim Falah during the PPM council meeting held this Sunday, which was also attended by President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom.

All 26 members who attended the council meeting unanimously voted to file a formal request with the party’s ethics committee to oust Maumoon from the party.

Speaking to press regarding the reason behind the move after the emergency council meeting, MP Falah said Maumoon siding with the opposition to work against the government would not be tolerated.

“The proposal today wasn’t to remove Maumoon from his position as PPM’s leader. The council doesn’t have the authority to make the decision to remove Maumoon from his position as PPM’s leader. That can only be done by holding a PPM congress,” said Falah.

Falah said that both lawmakers and general members of PPM were demanding that Maumoon be removed.

PPM’s constitution dictates that only a member of PPM can hold the position of leader of the party. If the ethics committee votes to remove Maumoon from the party, Maumoon will lose his position as leader without a congress.

Vaikaradhoo MP Ali Arif said that the party had never previously gone through the council to remove one of its party members, and that the decision on Sunday had been out of respect for Maumoon.

Differences between Maumoon and his loyalists and President Yameen and his loyalists has divided PPM, culminating into Maumoon’s faction signing a pact with the opposition against the government.