Ahmed Nazim, the Dhiggaru MP serving as deputy speaker of the Maldivian Parliament, resigned from the post on Sunday moments before lawmakers were set to convene a session that would have proceeded with a formal vote to strip him of the role. He retains his seat as a Member of Parliament.
It is not the first time Nazim has faced forced removal from a position of power. Once a close associate of President Abdulla Yameen, Nazim was stripped of his Dhiggaru constituency seat entirely in April 2015 after being sentenced to 25 years in prison on corruption charges — a far more complete removal than what he faces today. The Supreme Court had ruled that he directed employees to carry out a procurement scam, with additional charges involving the use of paper companies to win bids for harbour lights, mosque sound systems, and flags.
The Supreme Court later nullified that 25-year sentence in December 2018. Nazim eventually reclaimed the Dhiggaru seat and was elected deputy speaker again in May 2024 making a significant political comeback.
That leadership role has now come to an end. Parliament Speaker Abdul Raheem Abdulla confirmed the resignation during Sunday’s session and announced a follow-up sitting the next day to elect a new deputy speaker. The dismissal motion had first been tabled on May 14, with the Secretariat affirming that proceedings followed constitutional and parliamentary procedure throughout.
In a public statement, Nazim denied the allegations underlying the motion and framed his resignation as opposition to what he called flawed initial proceedings not an acknowledgment of any wrongdoing. He remains in parliament as the sitting MP for Dhiggaru.
