Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has announced that Ratu Wiliame Katonivere will be their candidate for the presidency of Fiji. In a statement, the Prime Minister indicated that the presidential election is set to take place during a special session of Parliament at the end of October.
Rabuka noted that there had been some concerns regarding certain candidates for the presidency, which led him to withdraw his own nomination the previous day. He explained that Speaker Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu requested him to address the doubts that had been raised prior to making any nominations, particularly regarding allegations against the current President.
The Prime Minister highlighted that the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC) has closed the files related to these complaints. He stated that a preliminary investigation sought assistance from the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) concerning financial details about Ratu Wiliame, and the information received was adequate to refute the allegations.
Rabuka also mentioned that FICAC confirmed the accuracy of the assets and liabilities declared in the FIU report, asserting that the inquiry found no evidence to substantiate the complaints made. Consequently, he announced that the files have been conclusively closed.