People’s Alliance Party leader Sitiveni Rabuka says he is expecting some Social Democratic Liberal Party (SODELPA) supporters to jump ship and join his political party to contest Fiji’s 2022 General Election.
The former prime minister and Opposition leader said he would welcome anyone who wished to join his party and they could show their interest by writing to the party.
“Understanding the affinity I had with the sitting members of the Parliament particularly for SODELPA, so it will be easier for us if they were not running for that party and I believe some of them have not expressed any interest to get a ticket to run in the next election under the SODELPA banner,” Rabuka said.
“In this case, they will have to actively show their interest by writing to say that they want to join the (People’s Alliance) party.
“The more the merrier, anybody from anywhere, at the moment we are a new party and anybody who comes in, we accept.”
In response, SODELPA leader Viliame Gavoka said it had been widely reported that not all the SODELPA parliamentarians have indicated their interest for SODELPA in 2022.
“I’m not surprised that Rabuka expects them to run with him,” he said.
“We have been planning for this eventuality. We have advertised and invited people to express their interest in a SODELPA ticket and the quality of the responses have been very encouraging.
“Rabuka’s platform is very different from that of SODELPA, and one thing we have learnt at SODELPA is that the voters know how to choose and to never underestimate them.”
Meanwhile, Rabuka’s party was officially registered on Wednesday and became the 10th registered political party which had expressed an interest in contesting the 2022 General Election.
SOURCE: FIJI TIMES/PACNEWS
