Minister at the President's Office, Ahmed Sameer, has decided to resign from the Jumhooree Party.
While JP is part of the ruling coalition, Sameer was appointed as a minister on a JP slot. Sameer's resignation comes after the JP's council decided to field its own candidate and form a coalition led by the party in the upcoming presidential election, despite an invitation by President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih to form an alliance with MDP.
Sameer did not vote for the motion on the election when it was put to the vote in the JP council on Tuesday. However, Transport Minister and JP leader Gasim Ibrahim's wife, Aishath Nahla, and several senior government officials voted in favor of the motion.
After the JP council meeting, Sameer said while he supported re-electing President SOlih for a second term in Office, he did not believe it was right to stay with JP after the party decided to field its own candidate in the election.
Sameer was one of the leading figures who worked alongside Gasim in the formation of the JP. Sameer, who has been the JP's Secretary General in the past, was also a member of the Parliament.
