MIX-UP WORRIES PARTY MEMBERS
Officials go into damage control mode as they face new challenges over deputy leader
Senior SODELPA officials closed ranks and went into damage control mode last night as the party grapples with its latest challenge. Members, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said they were deeply concerned with the confusion over the deputy leader appointment.
The debacle over whether president, Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu, is the deputy leader has reopened internal debate over the party’s governance issues.
One member said: “It’s untimely
and unfortunate. It exposes the party to the opposition and it could have a negative impact on our election prospects.”
The president of the Naitasiri SODELPA constituency, Kelemedi Naidiri, said he had resigned and joined Unity Fiji because he was disillusioned by the way the party was being run.
Ratu Naiqama last night hung up when a Fiji Sun reporter spoke to him.
Party leader Sitiveni Rabuka said last night: “Talk to the general secretary or the president.”
He had announced on FBC News that Ratu Naiqama was the deputy leader, not once but twice. The second time was when it was put to him that Adi Litia had said Ratu Naiqama had not been appointed and he was still the president. Mr Rabuka also told a press conference in Suva on October 5, that the party constitution was amended “to allow for a deputy party leader and the most natural person to come in as deputy party leader is our party president. “We had to change our constitution and allow him to run according to the amendment… as party president and deputy party leader,” he said.
Adi Litia told the Fiji Sun yesterday to refer to the party statement released on Monday and declined to comment further. The statement, signed by Ratu Naiqama, said: “I remain party president and not the deputy party leader. At this point in time SODELPA does not have a deputy party leader or even an acting deputy party leader – that will be a decision and a process to be undertaken by the party’s management board, under the provisions of the amended party constitution. I have spoken to the party leader, and he has asked me to make this clarification. The process and appointment of the deputy party leader is a decision yet to be made by the management board.
“To clarify further, party members resolved at the General Assembly held on 1 September 2018, to amend the Constitution with the provision that the party president is the default acting party leader in the event the position is vacated for any reason. This is a temporary position, until the Management Board is convened within seven days to appoint an Acting Party Leader and the acting appointment will cease upon the substantive appointment of a new Party Leader in accordance with this Constitution.”
Part of that statement quoting Ratu Naiqama was aired on FBC News on Wednesday night, specifically that he was not deputy leader. At about the same time, SODELPA Suva Constituency president Watisoni Nata and provisional candidate Tanya Waqanika, while campaigning at the Villa Maria Settlement in Tamavua, said Ratu Naiqama was deputy party leader.
“We are going to get our Prime Minister (Mr Rabuka) first because our Prime Minister at the moment is going to court and we believe, SODELPA believes that he will be cleared, but we are prepared with another one,” Mr Nata had said. “Tui Cakau (Ratu Naiqama) is the president and he is also the deputy leader. If he (Rabuka) falls, Tui Cakau moves in.”
In a new twist, the Supervisor of Elections, Mohammed Saneem, said the SODELPA Constitution “does not allow for an easy amendment without an annual general meeting.”
Mr Saneem said the provision for an amendment of the party constitutions for political parties was contained within their constitutions.
He said as far as he could recall there had to be a general meeting and two-thirds of the members had to agree for any amendments to the constitution.