DURU SLAMS TABUYA
But Ms Tabuya says ‘Mr Duru needs to stop detracting from the real issues’.
“Rabuka wants her in his party, but no one in that party wants her and that is why she wants to become the party leader for SODELPA” – Duru
SODELPA general secretary Lenaitasi Duru says Lynda Tabuya wants to become party leader because no one from People’s Alliance Party wants her. Mr Duru claimed that Ms Tabuya’s allegiance lies with the People’s Alliance Party leader Sitiveni Rabuka and so did the others who walked out of the meeting at the Fijian Teachers Association (FTA) Hall on Tuesday.
“For someone who just ditched her own party in 2017; that is not good leadership. Now she wants to take over the biggest Opposition party. She must be out of her mind,” Mr Duru said.
“Rabuka wants her in his party, but no one in that party wants her and that is why she wants to become the party leader for SODELPA.
“At the moment we are going through a transition period where people are trying to work out where their allegiance lies; whether they are with SODELPA or from the People’s Alliance Party with Mr Rabuka.”
Calling for Ms Tabuya to resign
He added the meeting held at FTA Hall on Tuesday was to bring unity within the party.
“Lynda has publicly declared she is not going to stand for a SODELPA ticket in 2022. My advice to her to resign and join her uncle,” Mr Duru said.
“Tuesday’s meeting was conducted based on the President’s good will. He wanted to find a way to take us forward to the election as a united force.
“At the meeting they came up with the idea that the agenda is supposed to be set up by the working committee, but that is not their job. That is my job as the general secretary to prepare board papers.
“The first thing they did was hijack the meeting by refusing to accept the agenda and bulldozing their own agenda at the meeting.”
Mr Duru said they had a plan in place to remove those who brought destabilisation in SODELPA.
“Just like the Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama said – it is like there are some people sitting under the mango tree drinking home brew, especially with the type of discussion,” he said.
“Sometimes I agree with the Prime Minister when he says ‘the old type of politics’ which is dragging SODELPA back.
“Let me talk about these people. Lynda came to SODELPA from PDP through Rabuka so she will have loyalty to Rabuka.
“Nata, as an SVT guy will always affiliate with Rabuka, so naturally he is trying to make sure SODELPA does not survive and Rabuka’s party benefits from all this nonsense.
“Tanya only came to SODELPA when she was victimised by FijiFirst. She was enjoying the perks of this Government by being employed by one of the organisations until she got fired. We can tell she is acting out of her vindictiveness towards FijiFirst, but not SODELPA.
“My message to her is that SODELPA is not going to be her vessel of vengeance for FijiFirst. Bani is very closely associated with Rabuka.
“Then we have Savenaca Kamikamica who works closely with Adi Litia Qionibaravi who is also affiliated with Rabuka.
“George Shiu Raj is a lost cause. We know how he is literally worshipping Rabuka and he has the audacity to come and sit on a SODELPA management board. He should just resign and go.”
Tabuya response
In response, Ms Tabuya said Mr Duru must stop personalising things.
“Mr Duru needs to stop detracting from the real issues, which is about him as general secretary.
“Name calling and personalising shows his inability to be professional and competent in his role. There’s just too much ego and too little intelligence and respect for the rule of law and democracy with him.
“Since the President has hijacked the management board, the next option in the democratic process is for members of the party to petition for a Special General Meeting in January 2022. A resolution for a Special General Meeting needs 100 members as per the constitution. The general members have reached out and requesting that a petition be prepared to get signatures for a resolution for a special general meeting.
“It’s reached the stage where the members are now planning to do this. Since we have the majority members of the management board we will facilitate this petition for our members.”