SODELPA general secretary Levi Vere has accused the People’s Alliance Party (PAP) of failing to honour an agreement concerning the Presidency of Fiji when the two parties negotiated the formation of the Coalition Government.
Mr Vere claimed the Presidency was among key promises made to secure SODELPA’s support, but the commitment was never fulfilled.
“When PAP came seeking SODELPA’s support to form the Coalition Government, we entered into that partnership in good faith, on the clear understanding that the promises made to our party and our people would materialize,” Mr Vere said.
He said the alleged failure to deliver on the Presidency agreement reflected broader concerns about unfulfilled coalition commitments.
“Just like the failure to deliver genuine constitutional reform, those core promises; such as the agreement regarding the Presidency of Fiji, dangled to us as a carrot; were never delivered.”
Mr Vere accused PAP of misleading SODELPA and treating the party with disrespect despite its role in the formation of the Coalition Government.
“We were lied to and made to look like fools whilst they laughed and ridiculed the party,” he said.
He also criticised former FijiFirst MPs who later aligned themselves with PAP, accusing them of political opportunism.
Mr Vere maintained that SODELPA’s political mandate was earned through years of struggle and sacrifice rather than political convenience.
“SODELPA earned its mandate through blood, sweat, tears, and relentless sacrifice—not through political convenience,” he said.
“We do not need lessons on loyalty because we are not ship jumpers.”
