Pio Tabaiwalua and Ro Filipe Tuisawau.

Two former management board members of the SODELPA are confirmed to be in the running for the Party’s Leadership position.

Ro Filipe Tuisawau a former President of the SODELPA and Pio Tabaiwalu the first General Secretary both believe they have versatile backgrounds to vie for the top role.

Tuisawau who is one of the five applicants vying for the party leader’s position confirms he will also be running for the deputy leader position.

“It’s good that I applied so we can have a good range of applicants and give the board a choice of people with different backgrounds. So that’s why I am putting it in. And also I come in with a different background from regional organizations, I have also had board experience, etcetera and I believe I can bring that to the fore in terms of organizational leadership.”

Tuisawau is up against, Sitiveni Rabuka, Viliame Gavoka, Aseri Radrodro and Pio Tabaiwalu.

A SODELPA Party pioneer, Tabaiwalu believes of all the candidates, he is well versed with the party operations having worked as its first general secretary.

“I think anyone who looks at the criteria for Party Leader would agree that if you have all the criteria’s satisfied, I think you are obligated somehow to put in your application. That’s one. And secondly, I think it’s important to show that there are leadership qualities within the party. We have Mr Rabuka who has been exemplary in his leadership, but then there are other qualities of leaders within the Party.”

SODELPA has endorsed a process to begin working towards appointing a leader for the 2022 general election. The successful candidate will be made known during SODELPA’s AGM next month.