A rift within the People’s Alliance Party was revealed during its general assembly in Lautoka yesterday, as members questioned the party’s position on the nomination of Fiji’s next President.
Supporters raised their concerns at Hotel 2000, inquiring whether a nominee had been proposed in light of the current President’s term nearing its end. Ratu Wiliame Katonivere, appointed by the FijiFirst government on October 22, 2021, was sworn in a month later, and under the 2013 Constitution, the President is elected by Parliament for a three-year term, prompting speculation about his successor.
Party leader and Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka stated that no official motion to nominate a candidate had been presented at the assembly. He mentioned that after the 2022 elections, various factions sought to pressure both the President and the Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF) Commander, but both remained steadfast in their positions.
“We discussed who should take up the presidency and who would be the party’s nominee,” Mr. Rabuka noted. He highlighted that the current President had been made aware of these discussions, particularly as social media and internal divisions could exacerbate the situation.
Mr. Rabuka cautioned that proposing a different nominee would be inappropriate, as no Fijian President has ever served for only one term. “In deference to the previous government that appointed Tui Macuata, we should give him another term,” he emphasized. “He has performed well, acted within the Constitution, and deserves our respect.”
The meeting was attended by only a select few PA ministers, including Mr. Rabuka, Manoa Kamikamica, Vatim Rayalu, Sakiasi Tubuna, Esrom Immanuel, and Jese Saukuru.