The National Federation Party Leader Professor Biman Prasad asks why is the Prime Minister pretending he does not know the election date but at the same time gigantic billboards of the FijiFirst Party are being erected all over the country in prime locations.
In the statement, Prasad the Prime Minister is fooling no one when he claims not to have any knowledge of the date of the general election.
Prasad says he must stop misleading the nation because it is creating uncertainty and disrupting the plans of the citizens for the holiday season.
The NFP Leader asks who is the boss calling the shots on the date of the general election and is it Voreqe Bainimarama or his right hand man Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum.
Prasad asks is the secrecy behind the announcement of the elections driven by the fear of losing power after 16 years.
He says with the Attorney General revealing that the elections will be held on a Wednesday, it means polling could either be on Wednesday – December 14th, Wednesday – December 21st, Wednesday – December 28th, Wednesday – January 4th or Wednesday – January 11, 2023.
The NFP Leader says the last date for the elections is Monday 16th January, 2023 as Section 59(2) of the 2013 Constitution stipulates that the Writ for Elections must be issued within 7 days of the expiry of Parliament.
He says the term of the current Parliament expires on Saturday 26th November however, 16th January is now out of question since the AG has stated elections will be held on a Wednesday.
He says surely, Sections 58(3) and 59(1) of the Constitution, which require the Prime Minister to advice the President to issue the writ for the elections, is known to both Bainimarama and Sayed-Khaiyum. Meanwhile, according to the Electoral Commission the last day for the Writ to be issued is on the 26th of November and the election can be held on 9th January 2023.
We have sent questions to Bainimarama and Sayed-Khaiyum. They are yet to respond.
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