Shahid: Councilman Shujau’s ouster politically motivated; LGA failed to follow protocol

Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) president Abdulla Shahid has called on the Local Government Authority (LGA) to rescind its decision to declare V. Thinadhoo Council president Shujau Ali had lost his seat, declaring it a politically motivated decision taken without following standard protocol.

Shujau got elected on the Democrats’ ticket, and took office on May 17. But on June 5, the LGA placed Shujau under suspension, citing a review into allegations of floor crossing.

The Democrats was dissolved by the Elections Commission on June 2.

On Thursday, LGA said that the EC has informed the authority that Shujau got registered to a different political party on May 19.

The LGA stated that under the existing legal framework, any councilor elected on a political party's ticket who defects to another party and is registered as a member of that party in the EC registry during their term automatically loses their seat.

In a post on X on Friday night, Shahid said that there are specific protocols that must be followed when deciding whether a person elected to public office has lost their seat or not.

“It is unacceptable to fail to follow this [protocol], challenge the will of voters, and take politically motivated measures simply because he is a member of the MDP,” he said.

Shahid called on the LGA to rescind its decision.

“The government must learn to uphold the rule of law,” he added.

އިންތިޚާބީ މަގާމުތަކުގައި ތިއްބަވާ ބޭފުޅުންގެ ގޮނޑި ގެއްލިއްޖެތޯ ނޫންތޯ ކަނޑައަޅަން އިޖުރާއަތްތަކެއް ކަނޑައެޅިފައި އޮވޭ. އެކަންކަން ފުރިހަމަނުކޮށް، ރައްޔިތުންގެ ނިންމުމުގައި ކޮޅުފައިން ޖަހައި، އެމްޑީޕީގެ މެންބަރަކަށް ވީތީ ސިޔާސީ ކުލަ ޖެހިފައިވާ ފިޔަވަޅު އެޅުމަކީ ބަލައިގަނެވޭނެ… pic.twitter.com/LWBHr6aUjh

— Abdulla Shahid (@abdulla_shahid) July 3, 2026

Speaking to Sun on Saturday, Shujau pointed out the party he got elected from got dissolved after he took office.

Shujau said the the existing legal framework does not cover the current predicament.

The LGA has directed the Thinadhoo Council’s vice president Sameer Ahmed to take over the running of the council until a new president is elected.

The Democrats’, founded by former President Mohamed Nasheed on July 11, 2023, was dissolved by the EC in June for failing to meet the minimum membership requirement of 3,000. Nasheed, along with many of his allies, had left the Democrats and rejoined the MDP last year.

He was recently elected as the chairperson of the MDP.