MDP heads to ACC, alleging failure to probe election-related corruption

Officials from the main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) went to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) on Wednesday, asking to see commissioners over the alleged failure of the institution to investigate corruption allegations linked to the upcoming local council elections.

On Wednesday, MDP officials first went to the Elections Commission (EC) and then the ACC, accusing state institutions of failing to investigate acts by the ruling People’s National Congress (PNC) to influence Saturday’s vote.

Speaking to reporters at the ACC headquarters, Ahmed Saleem (Maaz Saleem), a member of MDP’s national council, said that the party has filed cases with both the EC and ACC over alleged acts of bribery and intimidation of employees of state-owned enterprises ahead of the elections.

He said that the party had initially filed the cases with the EC, before being directed by the commission to lodge it with the ACC.

“What’s actually happening is, all these people want to brush it off, and steal through the government, influence the elections, and produce the outcome that [President Dr. Mohamed] Muizzu wants. All these independent institutions are just casting a blind eye and facilitating this,” he said.

4 އޭޕްރިލް 2026 ގައި ބޭއްވުމަށް ހަމަޖެހިފައިވާ އިންތިޚާބުތަކަށް ސަރުކާރުން ނުފޫޒު ފޯރުވަމުން ދާއިރު އޭސީސީއިން އެއްވެސް ފިޔަވަޅެއް ނާޅާ ހަނު ތިބޭތީ އެކަމާއި ކަންބޮޑުވުން ފާޅު ކުރުމަށް އެމްޑީޕީއިން މިވަގުތު އޭސީސީގައި.#HeyvallaThayyaaru#GearUp#LCE2026#WDC2026#VoteMDP… pic.twitter.com/TtiYNK2qt5

— MDP Secretariat (@MDPSecretariat) April 1, 2026

Ali Niyaz, a former MP and deputy chairperson of MDP, told reporters that the government is on a bad path, and have been misusing its supermajority in the Parliament to make whatever changes they want to the country’s constitution and laws.

He said that voters will reject the government in the upcoming elections.

“Not even a statement at the very least? They need to at least acknowledge that people are concerned. By their actions, its as if this is a very smooth election. No. They are distributing jobs. Launching projects. These are things they need to investigate, even if it were not happening in connection to an election,” he said.

Niyaz said that they plan to head back to EC over alleged discrepancies in the handbook sent by the commission and the information it is providing during training for officials.

He alleges that the commission is working in stealth to mislead the public.

The ACC has not responded to repeated questions seeking information regarding election-related cases lodged with the commission.