What is NFP wanting to hide from the public?
The entire matter involving the National Federation Party has been an eye opener for the country. For the first time, we have had a political party engaging a law firm and trying to be an independent institution which prohibits the release of any public statements about the NFP without obtaining authorisation from the party.
Would anyone issue a legal threat against the Fiji Police Force, tell them that any further steps taken to investigate their client would result in legal action? Or, would any political party threaten the Fiji Independent Commission against Corruption with legal action? It is out of character for a political party to take the legal route before anything concrete has been found.
Which brings us to question what is it that the National Federation Party tried to stop the public from finding out?
The Registrar of Political Parties has always issued public statements regarding any political party which he feels is not on the right track or is breaching the law.
He did this regularly when the Social Democratic Liberal Party (SODELPA) was trying to sort out its issues. SODELPA officials from both sides of the divide worked together with Registrar, Mohammed Saneem, and they worked hard to sort out their issues so that they do not even unknowingly break the law.
Why has the NFP not done the same and started to attack the Fijian Elections Office and the Registrar of Political Parties?
One would recall that an earlier complaint by the Registrar against the NFP and its leader Biman Prasad to FICAC was withdrawn by the Registrar. This was done and a public statement was issued on the same. Why was this time any different? Or why did the NFP want this time to be different?
The Registrar would be breaking the law if he does not report any alleged breaches of the Political Parties Registration Act. Now it is up to the Fiji Independent Commission against Corruption to investigate and find out whether there is any substance in the complaint.
By threatening legal action, the NFP and its lawyers are casting doubts on the political party and people are questioning what is the NFP wanting to hide from the public.
We have independent institutions. We need to them get on with their work. Let the law take course.
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