The Elections Commission (EC) has said that it still considers Ahmed Thasmeen Ali to be the leader of the opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) despite a technicality that dismissed Deputy Leader Umar Naseer claims disqualifies him from the position for failing to report the minutes of the party congress at which he was appointed.
Naseer made the claims yesterday in a text message sent to local media, alleging Thasmeen’s apparent failure to submit the minutes of the 2010 party congress to the EC within 15 days.
According to the message, this means that under party rules, Thasmeen should no longer officially be recognised by the commission as the party head.
An EC spokesperson claimed that although the party had failed to submit the minutes and recordings of last year’s DRP congress, during which it outlined its current leadership as required under its regulations, the commission did not have the mandate to disqualify Thasmeen from his appointment on such grounds.
“Thasmeen has failed to submit the minutes of 2010 DRP Congress to the Elections Commission within 15 days as stipulated by ‘Siyaasee Party ge Qavaaidh 2005,’” Umar claimed in a release sent by SMS. “It means that as far as the (EC) is concerned, Thasmeen is not the leader of the DRP.”
Umar Naseer, Thasmeen and fellow DRP MP Ahmed Maussom were either unavailable or unwilling to comment on the issue when contacted by Minivan News.
However, DRP MP Ahmed Nihan told Minivan News that claims that Thasmeen could no longer be considered as the head of the DRP first surfaced yesterday evening in a report by local media organisation SunFM.
Nihan, citing SunFM, claimed that under the EC’s own mandate, details and a recording of the national congress held by the party to approve new leadership needed to be sent to the regulatory body within 15 days of the event being held.
The DRP MP claimed this still had not happened so far, representing a “clear breach” of party regulation by its leader.
Nihan, himself a supporter of the Z-DRP faction of the party that is critical of Thasmeen’s leadership, said he believed the matter was not just an administrative error and had serious implications for the party.
“This is very serious, the smallest matter can often have the largest consequence and the EC must find a way to solve the issue,” he said. “We [as a party] must do things according to laws and procedure and Thasmeen should be accountable for his mismanagement.”
In addressing the EC’s claims that it could not remove Thasmeen for failing to supply minutes from the congress, Nihan claimed that the body should also probe the DRP leader for potentially breaking the party’s laws and regulations.
The MP added that although he had not received any official notice that the DRP’s leadership were meeting about the matter, as a council member for the party he expected an official response from the Thasmeen’s side by the evening. “I’m sure a meeting will have taken place today about this, but I have no details,” he said.
Addressing the claims, EC Vice President Ahmed Hassan Fayaz told Minivan News that although he was aware of a clause in the party’s existing regulations relating to supplying official minutes to the commission, the EC did not have authority to strip a party leader of his position.
“When you to fail to inform the EC of a party decision such as a leadership, we cannot reject that person’s authority, it doesn’t work like that,” he said. “For example, when someone is born, if health authorities are not informed of the birth it does not mean that the child does not exist.”
Fayaz claimed that Thasmeen’s appointment at the congress, which was supported by Gayoom before he became openly critical of his successor earlier this year, had been witnessed by hundreds of party delegates as well as covered by local media ensuring that it was well-documented decision.
The EC vice president said that the issue was therefore an internal party issue for members.
“Perhaps the party secretariat failed to provide the minutes [within the deadline],” he said. Fayaz claimed that the DRP regulations relating to submission of the minutes did not give the EC the power to remove the party’s leader from his post. “If a formal complaint was made over the issue than we would look into it,” he said. “However, it would more be in a manner where we would offer advice to the party on how to proceed with this matter. We cannot dictate to the DRP about leadership if it has failed to inform us of its minutes.”
The claims that Thasmeen should no longer be registered as the head of the DRP reflect an increasingly bitter divide between two different factions that are contesting to represent themselves as the country’s main opposition party to the public.
Umar Naseer’s dismissal by the party last December led to factional infighting in the party between the serving leader and other MPs loyal to Naseer and former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, who founded the party back in 2005.
Since then, each of these factions has engaged in criticism of each other resulting in threats of potential legal action and separate presidential bids.
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Thasmeen a born failure. here we understand why a faction called Z-DRP is formed.
Many of the Maldivians are quite clear how Thasmeen handled his previous positions in the capacity of Atolls minister and Home minister portfolio.
There were evidence that he is very careless person in managing both ministry.
How can a person such as this become a president of Maldives
If health authorities are not informed of the birth of a baby, it surely means the kid does not exit LEGALLY.
Mr. Fayaz should underhand some basic law for some one in such a high position before making loose comments.
Such a statement undermines the very credibility of the Elec Commission. Such loose statements should not come from a credible institution.
Election Commision should call for a hand wrestling match between Gayoom and Thasmeen. Whoever wins should be made the real Zaeem of the party.
What can you expect from Umar Naseer? Thasmeen's just a victim of a personal vendetta against him from Umar. Umar's claims not worth additional thought. We all witnessed the change of leadership and the change not being registered somewhere doesn't change the fact that Thasmeen is the current leader.
Whats this moron fayaz talking about. Comparing irrelevant issues as usual. What can be compared is how we treat this kind of issue in other laws.
For example when board members are elected for organizations it has to be registered in min of home affairs. Until it is registered the government will not officially recognize the new board. Even for opening bank accounts and changing signatories banks will ask for the document confirming that the board is registered in Home Ministry.
I think Umar should think about whom he is blaming. Maumoon was the leader of the party for another 3 months after the congress. Leadership was changed only three months after the congress when the term of the sitting officials were completed. So if Elections was not notified of the congress decision, then he is the one who shall be blamed. Not Thasmeen. I think EC should fine Maumoon for his irresponsible management of the party.
Umar, wake up and live in the real world. Things don't just vanish into thin air. Build something for yourself rather than acting as the chief demolition expert. I don't care Z or A, or B or whatever you choose. Can you be a little more constructive for the good of the country, please?
Umar can be a missile. But when he's guided by Zedey, he'd hit all bad targets and this is exactly what is happening. What good can come out of this row? He should focus his energy on bringing down this government. But please not for Zedey.
Is this even news? As if anything's gonna change. If Umar had his way, the unregistered child will not exist cause he lives in a dream world.
This is very unhealthy for the country politically. The people who are close to the top figures from both sides needs to try and calm things down. Easy to start a rumor. Anyone can do that and play a blame game. But is it not better to try and get these silly misunderstandings aside so that you can concentrate on more important issues like how as a party you can help fight crime or pressure the government in a productive way to fight crime more transparently instead of just words.
This should get interesting, depending on who blinks first. Ali Waheed already has one foot out. The fact of the matter is Z-DRP are rabble-rousers. MPs who have aspirations of their own would be looking at MDP's Dr. Didi and Alhan Fahmy with envy.
The choice for DRP MPs are toothless Thasmeen or the Pharaoh worshippers. MDP looks better and better everyday.
Being a member of MDP and an ardent supporter of the President. I would like to thank Umar Naseer for joining the DRP, not MDP. No doubt because of Umar Naseer the parliament will become friendlier for the President and he will either fulfill his pledges to the people or be voted out in 2013 for failure, whichever way, it would still be the democratic way.
Will the real Zaeem, please stand up.
I call upon majlis to inquire as to why election commission appointed PA's Secretary General as EC's Secretary General. He may have experience working at elections but I question his integrity in doing this job. He should be removed.
What to challenge? they all are failures.
Thasmeen's leadership is the child of gayoom and nasreena. conceived in the confines of DRP's siyaasee wedlock. it is as legitimate as gayoom's other biological children.
"The choice for DRP MPs are toothless Thasmeen or the Pharaoh worshippers. MDP looks better and better everyday."
Haha, the Pharaoh, yeah, that's what he is! He probably wants a his own pyramid too.
Looks like Zed is getting some major funding at the moment. They certainly aren't shy about spending money jet setting abroad to "share" information with foreign diplomats etc. Clearly, those funding sources have a lot to gain from bringing Zedey back from the dead.
Zedey is clearly didn't like the way he was booted out. He full well knows that he will never get to the helm by playing the good politician. Hence, the appointment of the Scud Umar Naseer. Just as his namesake weapon, he's will hit everywhere with the accuracy of a drunk dog. Interesting times, we live in...
OMG. This Zionist DRP group is so desperate. Looking for any loop holes where they could grab the power, whether the government or the opposition. I advise the Chief Zionist leader to go back to India and try and look after his sick wife. I have no advise to the rest of the Zionists as they are a BIG joke. My advise to Y is to get off this land as we are eliminating all THUGs.
Umar Naseer is a waste of time.
Maumoon and his puppies are hell-bent in destroying DRP. Four MPs have already left and rest may follow soon. Sane politician like Ahmed Mohamed has appealed to Gayoom to "lay Off". Lets hope its now "Bye-Bye DRP".
AKAIK you've got the aswner in one!