Ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) claimed Monday that some of the signatures of government-aligned lawmakers in the petition submitted by the opposition to seek a motion of no confidence against the parliament speaker were forged, which the opposition has countered by publicising a photograph of said lawmaker signing the petition.
The opposition submitted the resolution early Monday with 45 signatures to seek a motion of no confidence against Parliament Speaker Abdulla Maseeh. Ten of the signatures were from PPM lawmakers.
In the wake of the development, PPM’s parliamentary group leader and Villimale MP Ahmed Nihan claimed that the signatures of some PPM lawmakers in the petition were forged by the opposition, namely Isdhoo MP Ahmed Rasheed's.
“[Ahmed Rasheed] told me that he didn’t give his signature. He guaranteed that the signature in the resolution submitted to Parliament is forged.”
Shortly after PPM’s declaration, the opposition released a photograph depicting MP Ahmed Rasheed signing what appears to be a list in front of opposition lawmaker MP Faris Maumoon. Officials of the opposition assured Mihaaru that the photograph is not fabricated while the independent lawmaker of Galolhu South constituency, Ahmed Mauloof, has called on forensics to confirm the validity of MP Ahmed Rasheed’s signature.
PPM has claimed that some of the signatures on the opposition’s petition were forged. Villimale MP Nihan also said that the opposition snagged some signatures of PPM lawmakers at an opportunistic moment when lawmakers were upset over various circumstances.
He proclaimed that on the day of voting, no lawmaker of PPM will vote in favour of the no confidence motion against Speaker Maseeh and that the opposition will fail in its endeavour for the third time.
The ten lawmakers of PPM who signed the petition are:
Isdhoo MP Ahmed Rasheed
Dhidhdhoo MP Abdul Latheef Mohamed
Machangolhi South MP Abdulla Sinan
Dhangethi MP Ilham Ahmed
Ihavandhoo MP Mohamed Abdulla
Thinadhoo North MP Saudullah Hilmy
Thinadhoo South MP Abdulla Ahmed
Fuvahmulah North MP Ali Shah
Mahibadhoo MP Ahmed Thoriq
Hanimaadhoo MP Hussain Shahudhy
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