Claim: 29 MPs sign to remove Sogavare
A move to oust Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare is reported to be gaining momentum.
One of masterminds of the move, who is also a MP, told the Sunday Star at least 29 MPs in the Opposition, Independent, and government have signed up to support the move.
“We are now meeting again to consolidate our efforts to remove Prime Minister Sogavare from office and I can confirm to you that we now have the numbers to ensure the Prime Minister’s removal in the coming weeks,” the MP, who spoke to the Sunday Star on condition of anonymity.
“This is not our first meeting, we already held a number of meetings last week and I can confirm to you that we have the support to ensure a leadership change in the best interest of the nation,” he added.
“Sogavare has proven to the nation that he is totally incapable of leading the government.
“The government’s cash-flow situation has reached the lowest point in national history and furthermore the implementation of the Democratic Coalition for Change Government (DCCG) policies has come to a standstill.”
He said the Prime Minister also misled the nation that he implemented the recent major cabinet reshuffle after consulting the three coalition partners of the DCCG – United Democratic Party (UDP), Peoples’ Alliance Party (PAP), and Kadere Party.
The MP said the fact of the matter was that the Prime Minister only consulted the Parliamentary wing-leaders of the three parties and not the coalition executives as should be the case.
He said the move was orchestrated by none other than the President of the Kadere Party Peter Boyers and the Prime Minister’s nephew who is the Chief of Staff in the Office of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, Robson Djokovic.
The MP said if there was anybody to blame for the poor cash-flow situation of the government and stagnancy in the implementation of the DCCG policies then it was none other than Prime Minister Sogavare as the coordinating minister over all government ministries.
Sogavare arrived back from a week-long state visit to Australia on Friday, and parliament was expected to resume its meeting this week.
The MP declined to reveal whether the move will be accomplished through a motion of no-confidence or an internal leadership change.
When asked if he was aware of the political situation, Secretary to Caucus Robert Chris said he was not sure about the situation.
“I don’t have any detailed information on that so I think you should talk to the Special Secretary to the Prime Minister. He may have some information regarding the situation.”
When the Special Secretary to the Prime Minister John Muria (Jr) was asked if he was aware of the political move, he said he just arrived back in Honiara on Friday from Australia and had since been busy with his daughter’s birthday celebration and was not aware of any such development.
Muria (Jr) accompanied Prime Minister Sogavare on his state visit to Australia.
By TEDDY KAFO
