Former Social Democratic Liberal Party MP Tanya Waqanika has hit out at dismissed Minister for Education Aseri Radrodro for trying to destabilise the Party to further his own interests.
Waqanika in a social media post said both Radrodro and his wife Sainiana Waqainabete were key during the 2022 General Election, lobbying for the FijiFirst Party.
She said she could not understand the rationale behind their motives for SODELPA to vote for FijiFirst, as the nation wanted a change from the former Government.
“SODELPA stands for the preservation and protection of indigenous rights (amongst other things) and given the law that the FijiFirst Government introduced, they were seen as a party that was not in line with the Party stand.”
She said those that sat in the Management Board at the Southern Cross knew they narrowly won by secret ballot.
Waqanika said the Party’s constitution does not allow secret ballots in management board meetings.
“The secret ballot was requested by pro-FijiFirst management board members as they had received threats after they voted for FijiFirst in the first round of voting, at Yue Lai Hotel – which was nullified.”
She said the dismissal of Radrodro as a backbencher and the Fiji National University saga has now become a secondary issue after the statement made by the Working Committee last Saturday.
She added that the threat made by the Working Committee has now become the primary issue.
“SODELPA received a backlash from the public and party supporters when the Working Committee threatened to negotiate with FijiFirst simply over the issue of one person.”
“The Working Committee showed their incompetence, political immaturity and lack of understanding of the Party Constitution as they had no mandate to make such a statement,” she said.
She has confirmed that neither her nor the Vice-President Anare Jale are SODELPA Management Board members anymore.
Meanwhile both the SODELPA Secretariat and Radrodro have refused to comment on issues raised by Waqanika.
