Ro Filipe Tuisawau

Former Social Democratic Liberal Party member Ro Filipe Tuisawau has admitted to being dissatisfied while in SODELPA.

Minutes after confirming that he and seven other SODELPA members are defecting to Rabuka’s People’s Alliance, Ro Filipe revealed that there are problems within SODELPA which left many unsatisfied since 2019.

Those moving to Rabuka also include Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu, Inosi Kuridrani, Ratu Antonio Lalabalavu, Mitieli Bulanauca, Peceli Vosanibola, Ratu Tevita Navurelevu, and Jese Saukuru.

Ro Filipe says unresolved issues within SODELPA have built-up overtime.

“We made the decision as all of you may know, given the issues that we had faced within SODELPA from the AGM we had in 2019 – beginning with the court case and there was a series of issues there, also resulting in the suspension of SODELPA and up to the stage where we could not reconcile the differences within, given the difficulties within the organization.”

Ro Filipe says after the 2019 SODELP AGM, members have not been able to reconcile.

The Rewa Chief says even worse was the suspension of SODELPA after a faction of the party filed a challenge in the High Court in Suva against the party’s conduct in its 2019 Annual General Meeting.

The validity of SODELPA’s 2019 Annual General Meeting has been deemed unlawful, invalid, and ineffective by the Suva High Court.

The election of Ro Filipe Tuisawau as president was also ruled invalid.

Ro Filipe says another issue is former member of SODELPA and Member of Parliament Niko Nawaikula’s case, which resulted in his imprisonment, and the report had been lodged by a faction of SODELPA, as confirmed by the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption.

He claims it is for these and other reasons that they never had a coherent political party in which they could achieve their objectives.

Ro Filipe says it was not a difficult choice to join Rabuka, and he has labelled their move as a breath of fresh air.

The People’s Alliance Leader, Sitiveni Rabuka, has confirmed that the eight have applied for a ticket to contest the General Election for the People’s Alliance.

SODELPA Leader Viliame Gavoka is expected to make a comment soon.