Deputy Speaker of Parliament Ahmed Nazim has resigned from his post as the Parliament has scheduled the case of the no-confidence motion against him for today's sitting.
Nazim has denied the allegations against him and has released a statement regarding the matter. According to the resolution submitted to the parliament with the signatures of 73 parliamentary group members of PNC to pass the no-confidence motion against Nazim, one of the reasons cited for the no-confidence motion is the allegation that he uses the influence of his position to obtain undue advantages. The second allegation stated in the resolution is that he encourages the disruption of the parliament's harmony and evades responsibility.
As per Nazim's statement denying said allegations, he said that no evidence has been submitted in proving the allegations. The statement also reads that no complaints were submitted that Nazim, as the Deputy Speaker of Parliament, has violated the Constitution and the Parliament's guidelines via any sort of action or inaction that has been overlooked.
"I would like to highlight that these allegations have no basis," Nazim's statement read.
According to Nazim, he fulfilled his role as the Deputy Speaker with honesty and fairness, and within the rules of the law. He said that under no circumstances has he evaded the responsibility of his position.
Along with that, the statement reads that he has not done anything that would damage the interests of Parliament members, nor has he used the influence of his position in any way, even to obtain undue advantages.
Nazim stated that he fulfilled the responsibilities and duties of the position as per the law, without any sort of discrimination between members in an equal and fair manner. Nazim went on to say that as the Deputy Speaker, he has worked to protect the rights and privileges of the members equally.
Nazim said that even though the contents of the resolution submitted against him by PNC members is untrue, he believes that stepping down from an elected position when requested is the civilized course of action as it should be in a democracy.
And so, Nazim's statement reads that while he denies all of the allegations against him, he has decided to resign as the Deputy Speaker of Parliament.
Out of the 93 members in the parliament, the number of PNC members stands at 76. While rumors have spread that there is tension within PNC alongside the no-confidence issue of Nazim, Baarah Constituency Member Ibrahim Shujau, who belongs to PNC, has stated that the no-confidence motion against Nazim will be passed.
Nazim secured the post of Deputy Speaker after receiving 80 votes in the vote taken among the members of the parliament. MDP's Maradhoo Constituency Member Ahmed Didi, who contested against Nazim, received 12 votes. While the decision was made to remove him from the post of Deputy Speaker, he had also previously served as the Deputy Speaker in the 17th Parliament.
