8 Aug 2019

Fiji opposition withdraws motion against PM soon after submission

2:10 pm on 8 August 2019

Fiji's opposition SODELPA party says it withdrew a proposed motion of no confidence against prime minister Frank Bainimarama on technical grounds.

The Fiji Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama at Government House in Auckland

Frank Bainimarama Photo: RNZ/ALEX PERROTTET

The SODELPA MP Ro Filipe Tuisawau submitted the motion yesterday, which he says was in accordance with parliamentary standing orders

Ro Filipe said he had requested that the motion be added to the Order Paper for Friday.

However, he said this was not agreed to, and he decided to withdraw it on technical grounds last night.

But Ro Filipe said his party reserves the right to file a motion of no confidence in the prime minister.

"We in SODELPA believe that the people have lost confidence in the Government," he said.

Ro Filipe said he proposed that the SODELPA head and Opposition Leader, Sitiveni Rabuka, be Fiji's new prime minister.