Mohamed Sinan, who recently won the ruling PNC primary for the Hithadhoo North by-election, has decided to relinquish his ticket and withdraw from the race.

Sinan had previously held the seat until the Supreme Court ruled it vacant earlier this week. The court’s decision was based on his failure to settle a debt of MVR 2.5 million to Maldives Islamic Bank as mandated by a prior judgment.

In a statement released a short while ago, Sinan explained that after close consultations with many residents of his constituency over the past three days, he believes the best path for a PNC victory is for him to step aside and allow a new candidate to run.

"I have shared this decision with the Party President and the leadership, and they have accepted it with respect," Sinan stated. Despite withdrawing his candidacy, Sinan assured his supporters that he would remain fully involved and lead efforts to ensure the PNC candidate wins the seat. He expressed his gratitude to the members who voted for him in the primary and urged them to support the party's choice with renewed energy.

Sinan has officially endorsed Ahmed Saeed (Soda), the Addu City Councillor for the Moolekede district, who was his sole opponent in the primary. Following his announcement, Sinan shared a photo of himself with Saeed, confirming his full backing for Saeed's bid for the seat.