Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has announced that Ratu Wiliame Katonivere is their candidate for the presidency of Fiji. In his statement, the Prime Minister indicated that the presidential election is scheduled to occur during a special parliamentary session at the end of October.
Rabuka noted that there had been some concerns regarding specific nominees for the presidency, which prompted him to withdraw his previous nominee for the election on Thursday. He mentioned that the Speaker of Parliament, Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu, requested clarification on any doubts before proceeding with the nomination, particularly regarding allegations against the current President.
The Prime Minister confirmed that the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC) has closed the files concerning the complaints against the President. He explained that the preliminary investigation sought help from the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) for financial information related to Ratu Wiliame, and the data obtained was adequate to refute the allegations.
Rabuka further stated that FICAC verified the assets and liabilities declared in the FIU report and that, based on the investigation’s results, there is no evidence supporting the claims made against Ratu Wiliame. He concluded that the files have been officially closed.