Former President of the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) Mohamed Nasheed has criticized the ruling People's National Congress (PNC) for framing the Hithadhoo North by-election result as a victory, despite the opposition MDP winning the seat.

The by-election was won by a narrow margin by MDP candidate and former Addu City Mayor Abdulla Sodiq (Sobe), who secured 1,375 votes against PNC candidate Ahmed Saeed's 1,313 votes—a difference of 62 votes. Following the outcome, the PNC leadership characterized the results as a success, claiming it demonstrated strong support for President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu in Addu.

Reacting to this in a post on X today, Nasheed—who is also contesting for the position of MDP Chairperson—described the ruling party's stance as a stubborn refusal to admit defeat.

Prominent PNC figures who have maintained that the by-election result was a success for their party include PNC Parliamentary Group Leader Ibrahim Falah, Party Vice President Ibrahim Shujau, Campaign Manager and Minister of Sports Rafiu, and PNC Chairperson and Speaker of Parliament Abdul Raheem Abdulla.

They argue that winning the majority of the ballot boxes placed within Addu City itself is a significant achievement and provides strong momentum heading into the 2028 presidential election.

The by-election for the Hithadhoo North constituency was necessitated following a Supreme Court verdict that declared the seat vacant. The ruling came after the court found that the sitting MP at the time, Mohamed Sinan, had an outstanding proven debt, thereby disqualifying him from the parliament.