Opposition Jumhoory Party (JP) leader Gasim Ibrahim has interest to replace Abdulla Maseeh as the parliament speaker, his party said Wednesday.
Speaking to reporters after filing a fresh censure motion to unseat speaker Maseeh on Wednesday, JP deputy leader Abdulla Riyaz said the party hopes to replace Maseeh with Gasim who recently returned to the country from exile.
Gasim had returned to the Maldives earlier this month after he was granted bail by the High Court before his bribery conviction was overturned on Monday.
The motion to unseat the speaker was filed with 51 signatures which included several government lawmakers.
AVAS understands that as many as 15 lawmakers from the ruling coalition which includes Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) and Maldives Development Alliance (MDA) had backed the motion to unseat the speaker.
