MP Shujau: Nasheed turned against President Muizzu after he was denied cabinet spot

A top parliamentarian from the ruling People’s National Congress (PNC) claims that former President Mohamed Nasheed had requested a place in President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu’s cabinet, but turned against the administration after his request was denied.

Ibrahim Shujau, the senior deputy leader of PNC’s parliamentary group, made the remarks during a rally held by the party on Friday night to celebrate the successful election of its candidates to the local council and women’s development committee of AA. Thoddoo.

The remarks came after Nasheed recently declared that President Muizzu does not know how to govern.

Addressing Friday’s rally, the Baarah parliamentary representative heavily criticized Nasheed.

Shujau said that it was because President Muizzu knew how to govern that Nasheed and his party, the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), is able to exercise freedom of speech and enjoy political freedom.

Shujau also alleged that Nasheed’s recent remarks weren’t made in a “sober state.”

He said that Nasheed had previously backed President Muizzu’s administration and even asked for a place in the cabinet, but turned against the administration after he was denied.

“Nasheed was once a strong supporter of this administration. But the point where differences in opinion arose and he rose against us and began criticizing us is when Nasheed asked us to appoint him as a minister in this administration’s cabinet,” he said.

Shujau said that Nasheed left for a job posting in Africa after he failed to get a spot in the cabinet, adding that Hassan Latheef, the former president of the Democrats, was witness to this.

Nasheed had claimed to be a part of President Muizzu’s administration back in 2023. And Hassan Latheef had met President Muizzu on behalf of the Democrats, the party Nasheed founded during his two-year fallout with the MDP.

But President Muizzu’s administration had denied any role of Nasheed in the administration back then.

Nasheed who rejoined the MDP in June last year and is now contesting the party’s chairpersonship elections, has been increasingly critical of President Muizzu’s administration.

He recently alleged that the PNC submitted the no-confidence motion against Deputy Speaker Ahmed Nazim in an effort to stop an attempt to impeach President Muizzu.

Nasheed has repeatedly claimed that President Muizzu would be pushed out of office before the end of this year.