Speaker of Parliament Mohamed Nasheed has stated that now is not an appropriate time for him to resign from his position. He made the remark at a press conference regarding the no-confidence motion against him.
At the press conference, Speaker Nasheed said that the no-confidence motions against him and Deputy Speaker Eva Abdulla were submitted with the intention to halt the work of the Parliament. He highlighted that he decided to voluntarily abstain from fulfilling his duty of presiding over parliamentary sittings until a decision is taken on the no-confidence motion against him, in accordance with international best practices.
Additionally, Speaker Nasheed emphasised that resigning from his position would not serve the best interests of the Parliament at the present moment. He further said that it would be beneficial for the Parliament if the main ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) withdrew one of the no-confidence motions.
Answering questions from journalists, Speaker Nasheed acknowledged the challenges he faces within MDP but expressed his intention to stay with the party. He also refrained from providing a direct response regarding his candidacy in the upcoming presidential election. Meanwhile, his supporters are involved in the formation of The Democrats and have said the new party intends to field a presidential candidate.