Chairperson of Maldives Democratic Party’s (MDP) May 6 Committee Hassan Afeef has revealed that Leader of MDP President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has decided to penalize him for stating it is unclear whether the President is now part of Adhaalath Party or not.
Speaking to the Dhivehi Channel, Afeef speculated that President Solih may have become a member of Adhaalath Party has his closest companions are members of the party. Vilufishi MP Afeef on Tuesday night repeatedly stated that the President has asked for him to be reprimanded for the comment.
Despite facing penalization, Afeef reiterated that it is apparent the President’s closest companions are Adhaalath Party members. He elaborated that appointing Ali Zahir as Chief of Staff shows that President Solih trusts Adhaalath Party members more than MDP members. Ali Zahir served as Vice President of Adhaalath Party for nine years.
“The President has asked the party to penalize me for what I said the other night”, said Afeef.
According to Afeef, there are numerous MDP members qualified for the role of Chief of Staff, including current MDP members at the President’s Office. He has been repeatedly stating that the President’s actions suggest he may be part of Adhaalath Party. While MDP has split into two, Hassan Afeef remains in former President Mohamed Nasheed’s faction.