SODELPA provisional candidate defends his post on social media

SODELPA provisional candidate Niko Nawaikula is today defending a post he put up on his official facebook page after a concerned youth labeled that facebook post as a racist post which is trying to cause a religious divide.

Abdul Shaheed called out Niko Nawaikula for the facebook post on Twitter and has told Fijivillage that he is infuriated that this particular individual whose wanting to get into government is happy about that religious divide.

Shaheed says he does not want to give into religious or ethnic peddling that politicians are doing.

Shaheed says he is also concerned about the discourse on social media in Fiji as some people are only willing to debate and not have a discussion.

He says because he is a Muslim he has been called ISIS on social media and even accused of siding with the Attorney General.

In his response Niko Nawaikula says Abdul Shaheed should read the post again because obviously he has taken what Nawaikula said out of context.

He says it was not a racist statement.

Nawaikula said the post has to do with SODELPA’s chances in the election and he said it has a good chance because there is a visible split between Muslims and Hindus that will give SODELPA a good chance to win.

When asked on where he got the information that there is a visible split between Muslims and Hindus, Nawaikula says he has been talking to people who have told him that there is a rift.

He says it unfortunate that people are now called racists for talking about indigenous issues.