Rabat – Abdelilah Benkirane, the leader of the Justice and Development Party (PJD), has publicly demanded the resignation of Head of the Government Aziz Akhannouch, citing his involvement in a controversial government contract.
Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, Benkirane accused Akhannouch of abusing his power by overseeing the bidding process for a seawater desalination project in the Casablanca-Settat region, which ultimately benefited a consortium that included Afriquia Gaz, a company owned by Akhannouch. PJD claimed that the project has illegally received state support.
“To be honest, this time, I don’t see how Mr. Aziz Akhannouch can continue as head of government,” Benkirane said, urging him to “step down and let Morocco breathe for the next two years.”
He added that if Akhannouch’s National Rally of Independents (RNI) party is to remain in power, King Mohammed VI should appoint another individual from the party to lead the government.
“Mr. Akhannouch, as head of government, creates problems and doesn’t even know how to do so. He has ultimately been uncovered, exposed…If I could say it in Tamazight, I would,” Benkirane added.
The PJD leader reiterated his called for Akhannouch to resign, telling him, “you either act right or resign. Submit your resignation and step down. There’s no shame in it—you wouldn’t be the first. Recently, many people with far greater responsibilities have resigned.”
Read also: Conflict of Interest? Akhannouch Faces Backlash Over Desalination Deal
The controversy over the desalination project began during a monthly accountability session in Morocco’s Parliament on Monday. Akhannouch faced strong criticism from the opposition, particularly from the PJD, who accused him of a conflict of interest and raised serious concerns about transparency and fairness in the bidding process.
The opposition’s accusations escalated when Akhannouch insisted that it was awarded through a transparent and open process. However, the PJD pointed out contradictions in his statements. Akhannouch had claimed that no public funding was provided for the project, but the PJD claimed that a government statement released on December 10 mentioned that four major projects, including desalination plants, were approved for public support during a National Investment Committee meeting.
The PJD criticized Akhannouch for not addressing the potential conflict of interest and argued that his business ties should have excluded him from being involved in such a decision. The party also accused Akhannouch of acting more like a businessman than a head of government.
During yesterday’s conference, Benkirane described the situation as a “scandal” and a “shame” that had never happened in Morocco before, even though Akhannouch was not the first businessman to be appointed as head of government.
“We no longer live in a country that selects those who benefit [from investments], but we have become a country where the head of government competes in an illogical, illegal, and dishonorable manner with investors because he is the one making the decisions,” he lamented.
He warned that this situation could lead to a loss of trust in national institutions, including the government, parliament, and political parties. Benkirane argued that this erosion of trust could even affect the people’s confidence in the monarchy itself, which he stressed must be protected.
He noted that such circumstances could lead to a repeat of events similar to the February 20 Movement, which saw a series of protests in 2011 during the Arab Spring that called for political reforms, greater democracy, and an end to corruption.
Benkirane concluded by reaffirming the importance of the monarchy and the need to safeguard it from any actions that could compromise its position.
