People’s Alliance candidate Filimoni Vosarogo .[Source:: Filimoni Vosarogo/Facebook]

Former Deputy Leader of the Social Democratic Liberal Party and now a People’s Alliance candidate Filimoni Vosarogo says the 2022 General Election is a contest between major political parties.

While addressing residents of Vunivau settlement in Samabula last night, Vosarogo stated that if voters vote for a minor political party, their votes will be counted however, it won’t be considered if that party fails to meet the five percent threshold.

“My view about the electoral law is that it is a contest between big political parties and secondly political party leaders.The party leaders are the ones that can take their own party into Parliament. This means that political leaders have the power to influence the votes and this can be achieved if they are able to convince supporters on why they should for them. They can achieve the five percent on their own.”

Vosarogo says in the last two elections, only three political party leaders’ secured seats in Parliament through the votes they obtained.

He adds that the Leader of the FijiFirst Party Voreqe Bainimarama did this twice, Ro Teimumu Kepa took SODELPA into Parliament in 2014 through her votes, and in the last election, Sitiveni Rabuka, the former SODELPA Leader but now the PA Leader secured an additional six seats through his votes.

Vosarogo adds that Rabuka and PA have the support of voters and they are confident of meeting the five percent threshold in order to be eligible for seats in Parliament.