The Prime Minister has slammed the Methodist Church for echoing the political sentiments as the Opposition SODELPA Party.

Voreqe Bainimarama says he is not one bit surprised with the Church’s involvement in politics yet again – considering the role the church played in leading up to the 1987 Coup.

Bainimarama is convinced that 1987 Coup leader – and current SODELPA leader Sitiveni Rabuka is colluding with and using the church again for political gain after a church statement on the weekend that called for changes to Fiji’s political landscape.

“The church coming up with the statement on United Nations Racial Discrimination – they don’t understand what they are talking about because they are campaign mouth for SODELPA.”

The church over the weekend released a statement titled “Submission on Proposed Village Bylaws 2016” but the contents were hardly confined to the title.

Reeking of politics of the old, the church statement accuses the government of stealing indigenous land.

It also calls for the re-establishment of the Great Council of Chiefs and wants Fiji to be declared a Christian state – sentiments expressed by SODELPA leader Sitiveni Rabuka when he toppled the government in 1987.

The Prime Minister says: “It sounded like it’s a campaign material for SODELPA. It’s like 1987 all over again with the church being used as a political ground for a political party.”

Bainimarama questions if the Methodist Church president, Tevita Nawadara knows of the churches political statement

“I really don’t know what that has to do with the Methodist Church teachings but I think I know the people behind the release of that statement and I fear that those are the same group that have been politicizing the church over the last decade.”

The Prime Minister says the church is being used once again …just like in 1987.

“Not really fair for us Methodists – for people to politicize the Church.”

The president of the Methodist Church acknowledges it made the statement but says it does not support any political parties.