Party Leader Viliame Gavoka and Opposition Leader Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu. [File Photo]

FBC News has today ascertained that the SODELPA president Ratu Epenisa Cakobau had written a letter that he wanted to deliver to the Speaker of Parliament, expressing his disappointment about the election of the Leader of the Opposition.

However, while the letter was circulated amongst some party members, the letter has not to date been handed to the Speaker.

This came after Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu was appointed in the position replacing Sitievni Rabuka, after which it was revealed that 14 members of the SODELPA caucus had defied the directive of Ratu Epenisa to vote for Viliame Gavoka.

The letter sighted by FBC News, had Ratu Epenisa raising a number of concerns to the Speaker.

He says that as the President of SODELPA he was unhappy with the manner in which the party MPs disobeyed the instructions of the Party with respect to the appointment of the Leader of Opposition.

Ratu Epenisa reiterates that despite the communication of the Party, caucus members decided to vote on their preference of Opposition Leader, with 14 voting for Ratu Naiqama disrespecting the Party directive to vote for Gavoka, who eventually only received five votes.

He goes on to say that in the course of their discussions, despite the clear indication that the Party was recommending only one name and that of Gavoka, and that no voting should thus take place either in Caucus or in parliament, the party directive was disregarded.

Ratu Epenisa points out that under the SODELPA Constitution under Section 16, it clearly stipulates that the Party Leader is also the Parliamentary Leader.

He says while the Constitution does not mandate that the Parliamentary Leader be the Party Leader, the Party in its wisdom needs to be able to have semblance and eliminate confusion in the Party and to its voters, by having conflicting messages from two leaders, especially when the Party Leader is an existing MP.

Ratu Epenisa says the five who voted for Gavoka were coerced to go with only one name into parliament chambers and that of Ratu Naiqama.