Sinan withdraws from Hithadhoo North by-election
Sinan previously represented Hithadhoo North before losing his parliamentary seat following a court ruling related to an unpaid debt.
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Former Member of Parliament Mohamed Sinan has announced that he will not contest the upcoming by-election for the vacant Hithadhoo North constituency seat, despite having secured the ticket of the ruling People's National Congress (PNC).
Sinan previously represented Hithadhoo North before losing his parliamentary seat following a court ruling related to an unpaid debt.
A case was filed at the Supreme Court of the Maldives on 13 February last year seeking a declaration that Sinan had vacated his seat after failing to settle MVR 2.5 million, the outstanding balance of a MVR 3.8 million loan from Maldives Islamic Bank (MIB), within the six-month period ordered by court.
Although Sinan paid the remaining amount on the same day the case was filed, the Supreme Court ruled that he had lost his seat because he did not meet the constitutional requirement of being free from proven debt while the judgment remained in force.
Sinan had won the PNC primary to contest the by-election scheduled for 6 June. However, in a social media post on Wednesday, he said he had decided not to run after consultations with constituents over the past three days.
“Following close consultations with a large number of constituents over the last three days, I believe the best way for the party to secure this seat is for me to step back and allow a new individual the opportunity,” he said.
Sinan added that he would support the party’s eventual candidate and campaign to retain the seat.
He said the decision had been communicated to party leadership and accepted.
In the PNC primary, Sinan defeated Ahmed Saeed, known as Soda, councillor for Hithadhoo Moolekede ward.
The opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has nominated former Addu City mayor Abdulla Sodiq, known as Sobe, after no other candidates applied.
Meanwhile, the Elections Commission of Maldives has extended the deadline for candidates to apply for the Hithadhoo North by-election until 2 June. The original deadline had been set for the end of Wednesday.
