President Irfaan Ali said Thursday he is aware that the Speaker of the House, Manzoor Nadir, is abroad. Hence, the election of the Opposition Leader will have to wait until he returns.
“From what I’ve seen in the news, the Speaker is traveling now. So you don’t expect the Speaker to convene a meeting whilst he is traveling,” Ali said on the sidelines of an event at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre.
The President said he is sure that the Speaker will convene that meeting when he returns at an appropriate time, noting that such an election is within the domain of the legislative branch.
It has been more than three weeks since the Parliament first convened, following the September General and Regional Elections, and more than 11 weeks since Ali was sworn in without someone appointed to oppose him and be in place for consultation on constitutional appointments.
The government is in court working to secure the extradition of the leader of the We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) party, Azruddin Mohamed to Florida to face corruption and fraud charges brought against him by the U.S. government. Mohamed is widely expected to become the next Opposition Leader.
