Member of Parliament for Hithadhoo Central, Ahmed Azaan, has urged residents to vote against the proposal to divide the Addu City Council in the referendum scheduled for the 25th of this month.

The referendum follows a petition submitted by some residents of Addu seeking changes to the composition of the city council.

In a post on ‘X’, Azaan stated that the political strength of Addu lies in its ability to speak with one voice, as the second most populated region in the Maldives after Malé.

“There is a significant risk that separate councils and the separation from the existing Addu City Council will weaken this unity and politically disadvantage the people of Addu,” Azaan said.

Azaan acknowledged that residents from different areas face challenges due to the current administrative structure, as Hithadhoo has long served as the central island of Addu. However, he said such issues could be addressed through revisions to the existing administrative arrangements rather than dividing the city.

“We want the people of Feydhoo, Meedhoo, and Hulhudhoo to vote against the creation of separate councils in Addu,” he added.

The islands of Hulhudhoo and Meedhoo, which are geographically separate from the connected group of islands in Addu, have previously discussed forming their own councils.

According to the government, the proposal for a separate council was submitted by residents of Addu. At present, Addu operates under a single city council that governs all six islands, including the two separate and four connected islands.