Who gets credit for SODELPA’s improved showing in 2018 General Election? Rabuka or party?

References and testimonials attached to applications for SODELPA party leader show a clear division between those who back incumbent, Sitiveni Rabuka, and others who are rooting for a new leader.

Attribute

Rabuka supporters attribute the winning of six new seats in Parliament in the 2018 General Election to his leadership.

But their opponents contend that the party had won new voters, mainly iTaukei, who had made a conscious choice to switch their allegiance from FijiFirst to SODELPA – not because of Mr Rabuka as leader.

They argue that it was a natural progression from the 2014 election as FijiFirst lost ground.

The pro-Rabuka group claims that no other applicant matches his record having ascended to the highest office of the land as a former Prime Minister whose appeal to the electorate contributed to the surge in support.

SODELPA went close to upsetting FijiFirst in 2018 and the group feels that Mr Rabuka has unfinished business and he will carry the party over the line in the 2022 election. The group feel he is the only person in the party who can take Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama head-on because of their military backgrounds.

Reference

A reference from a person supporting one of Mr Rabuka’s challengers (Ro Filipe Tuisawau, Viliame Gavoka, Pio Tabaiwalu and Aseri Radrodro) says it’s a myth that some sections of the party believe the better result in 2018 was predominantly due to the popularity of Mr Rabuka. A belief that the party needs him absolutely and he only can guarantee a win for the party in 2022 is a fallacy, it says.

“The party cannot be held to this insecurity and lack of confidence in itself. It must move forward with confidence.”

The reference claims the success of the party at the 2018 polls to secure six more seats was built on the 2014 performance and many other more complex factors, including and importantly, Mr Bainimarama no longer enjoyed the dominance he had in 2014.

It claims he had lost support, particularly among the iTaukei community, over his first term. It also claims many realised that the habits of military rule had not dissipated in government, the clean-up and democracy he had promised had not eventuated, the Fijian institutions, culture and traditions had been victims of the Government, the tenets of democratic and parliamentary rule had been diminished and abused, and indigenous people had been marginalised. Or so it claimed.

It was also claimed: “In fact, it could be argued that more seats could have been won by SODELPA with the support of other races if the Leader of the Party was not tainted with the baggage of being the architect of the coup culture. The coup fatigue had taken hold in large parts of the electorate.”

Different views again highlighting the differences within SODELPA.