Who is the boss?
“Stop playing dumb”.
“Who is the boss calling the shots on the date of the general election? Is it Voreqe Bainimarama or his right hand man Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum? Is the secrecy behind the announcement of the elections driven by the fear of losing power after 16 years?”
These are the questions asked by National Federation Party Leader Professor Biman Prasad after contradictory statements by the Prime Minister on the election date.
Professor Prasad said with the Attorney General revealing that the elections will be held on a Wednesday, it means polling could either be on Wednesday December 14th, Wednesday December 21st, Wednesday December 28th, Wednesday January 4th or Wednesday January 11, 2023.
The NFP Leader said the last date for the elections is Monday 16th January, 2023 as Section 59(2) of the 2013 Constitution stipulates that the writ for elections must be issued within 7 days of the expiry of Parliament. He said the term of the current Parliament expires on Saturday 26th November. However, 16th January is now out of question since the AG has stated elections will be held on a Wednesday”.
“Surely, Sections 58(3) and 59(1) of the Constitution, which require the Prime Minister to advice the President to issue writ for the elections, is known to both Bainimarama and Sayed-Khaiyum”.
“So why is the PM fooling around, pretending he doesn’t know the election date but at the same time gigantic billboards of Fiji First Party are being erected all over the country in prime locations?”
“The PM is fooling no one when he falsely claims not to have any knowledge of the date of the general election. He must stop misleading the nation because it is creating uncertainty and disrupting the plans of the citizens for the holiday season”.
“Both the PM and the AG should know that their antics is further hardening the resolve of the people to kick them out of government by exercising their power at the voting booths”
Professor Biman Prasad
Leader