MDP bars Reeko Moosa from national council by-election

Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) said the party does not see a reason to revise its decision regarding former Chairperson “Reeko” Moosa Manik.

Moosa had shared the MDP elections committee’s statement on the matter, in a post on X.

The statement read that, MDP in its decision to dismiss Moosa, held that he cannot contend to any of the party’s positions or primaries for at least five years from the date he rejoins.

The judges of MDP’s appeal council had not found any reasonable grounds to change the decision, the party in the statement said.

The party’s elections committee decided not to accept his candidacy for Male’ City constituency, reflecting the MDP’s disciplinary committee decision.

In response, the former Chairperson questioned why MDP was barring his involvement.

According to Moosa, the party’s top brass was afraid his presence would deter former MDP President Mohamed Nasheed’s chances of retaining the position, which he claimed was the reason for his dismissal.

Previously, Moosa said the members were not allowed to dissent from Nasheed’s ideals. He alleged Nasheed controlled the party, which he added was the reason why majority of the members left MDP.

In MDP’s disciplinary committee decision, the party said Moosa had acted against the party’s three-line whip regarding the vote calling for the dismissal of former Chief Justice Ahmed Faiz Hussain and Supreme Court Justice Ahmed Mu’uthasim Adnan in 2016.

Moosa was dismissed from the current opposition party not long after he announced the decision to contend in the MDP primary to seek the party’s ticket for the 2018 presidential election.

He stayed away from active politics for sometime after this, and rejoined MDP in November 2022 when the party was led by former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih and top government and MDP officials who supported Solih.