The Interim Chairperson of the MDP, Abdul Ghafoor Moosa (Gapo), stated today that amidst the major internal turmoil currently unfolding within the party, it is not him who is being "slaughtered," but rather "it is the MDP that is being slaughtered."

Following the success in the local council elections held last Saturday, disagreements arose within the MDP regarding Ghafoor over the issue of not granting former President Mohamed Nasheed and former Chairperson Fayyaz Ismail the opportunity to speak at the rally held to celebrate the election victory.

Expressing dissatisfaction, some activists supporting Nasheed boycotted the rally, and Nasheed himself did not attend.

Subsequently, the situation escalated further following the sudden dismissal yesterday of MDP’s Deputy Chairperson (Administrative), Ibrahim Waheed, and Legal Director Ahmed Mauroof, leading to a no-confidence motion against Ghafoor being submitted to the MDP. Fifty-five members of the National Council, including several senior members of the party, signed the submission.

In a video message sent today to a WhatsApp group consisting of past and present members of the MDP National Council, Ghafoor stated that the agenda for the rally held to celebrate the local council election success was not compiled based on his personal ideas alone.

In the video sent to the WhatsApp group, Ghafoor first explained how the rally's agenda was formed and how he acted after Nasheed and Fayyaz called and requested the opportunity to speak.

"That night Fayyaz called and said 'I want to speak (at the rally).' I told Fayyaz, 'Give me a moment, I will discuss it and give an answer after making a decision.' Just as I hung up that call, President Nasheed contacted me," Ghafoor said.

"He called and said, 'I must be given the opportunity to speak.' I said, 'I will not make decisions on my own, I will decide after consulting with the Campaign Committee; give me a moment.'"

According to Ghafoor, the news that Nasheed and his supporters were "boycotting" the rally hit the media before he could even hang up the phone from that call.

"I hadn't even hung up the phone after saying (give me a moment), and it was put on breaking news that (Nasheed) had boycotted the rally," Ghafoor said.

Ghafoor stated that since that is how things transpired, there is no evidence of his influence in the matter.

After providing these details, Ghafoor stated that there was also the opportunity to hold a meeting the following day to discuss speaking arrangements.

Ghafoor then spoke about the condition the MDP was in when he took over as interim Chairperson.

"I stood up and raised the party up at a time when it had failed in the past three elections, failed in four by-elections, and the party was left stranded on the streets. Everyone here knows that as well," said Ghafoor, who also serves as the Member of Parliament for the Hanimaadhoo constituency.

However, Ghafoor stated that he is not asking for credit for the MDP winning the election today, noting that it was the work of the party's members.

"Therefore, the matter will not be completed by slaughtering me today; today, it is the MDP that is being slaughtered," Ghafoor said.

He questioned who would take over the MDP on the day it becomes weak if things are handled in this manner.

The issue of removing interim Chairperson Ghafoor from his post has been scheduled for the National Council meeting to be held next Monday.

Ghafoor told "Mihaaru" today that although a no-confidence motion against him has been submitted to the National Council, he will not resign from the post and that the matter must be decided by a vote taken in the National Council.

"The decision will be made by a vote at that meeting. I will not resign," said Ghafoor.