National Federation Party President Pio Tikoduadua claims that the video that has emerged on Facebook regarding the incident between the Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama and him does not show the second time the Prime Minister allegedly verbally assaulted him and used undignified language.
Tikoduadua made this comment while speaking at NFP’s Annual General Meeting in Lautoka today.
Tikoduadua has alleged that this incident happened when he was on the green carpet on the entrance of the parliamentary premises as he was on his way back to Parliament House to report to the Speaker on what had happened.
Tikoduadua says he responded to Bainimarama in passing that he should look at himself and his actions as Prime Minister.
Meanwhile, Tikoduadua says he no longer has to defend his honour against false lies levelled against him when he reported a violation of his parliamentary privilege as an MP on 9th August this year.
Tikoduadua told members of the party today that he was allegedly assaulted physically, verbally and mentally by the Prime Minister.
Tikoduadua says his pre scheduled appointment on August 12th with the Speaker of Parliament was suddenly cancelled as he was on his way to see him.
Tikoduadua has also told about 100 NFP members today that they are not sure about the safety of other opposition members at Parliament as he claims Bainimarama has also verbally assaulted a SODELPA member.
He says these are all telling symptoms of the state of Fiji’s affairs and it is not a hopeful one.
Tikoduadua has been re-elected as NFP’s President after running unopposed at the party’s AGM.
Seni Nabou has been elected as NFP’s new General Secretary.
Video footage of outside parliament on August 9th widely circulated on Facebook while Police continue investigations - (Satuday 24/08/19)
Screenshot showing Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama and National Federation Party President Pio Tikoduadua outside parliament on August 9th this year
By: Vijay Narayan
A video has now emerged on Facebook regarding the incident between the Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama and National Federation Party President Pio Tikoduadua outside parliament on August 9th this year.
Tikoduadua has told Fijivillage that although the video has emerged, he has no update from Police on the actual investigation.
He says NFP has written to the Police asking for an update on his complaint that he was allegedly physically assaulted by the Prime Minister however there has been no communication with him at all.
The video shows Bainimarama walking to Tikoduadua and holding his blazer for at least 2 seconds.
Bainimarama is then seen speaking to him however the audio cannot be heard clearly.
The Prime Minister has not said anything after the emergence of the video.
Police Commissioner Sitiveni Qiliho had earlier told Fijivillage that he will not say anything publicly as Police always deals directly with the complainants and this will be the same for this case.
Qiliho has only said that Police investigations continue.
Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum has already said that the government will let due process take it’s course in relation to the allegation by Pio Tikoduadua against the Prime Minister as Tikoduadua has reported the matter to the Police.
Sayed-Khaiyum says no one should become the judge and jury, and let the investigation take it’s course as there are facts which are in dispute.
This is the Coup Fourpointfive video being circulated on Facebook:
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