Fiji's electoral system should be changed, the leader the opposition Sodelpa Party says.
Former Fiji prime minister and two-time coup leader Sitiveni Rabuka. Photo: AFP PHOTO / Torsten BLACKWOOD
Sitiveni Rabuka, who overthrew Fiji's elected government in a coup in 1987, is making a bid to regain the premiership which he lost in 1999.
Speaking to Auckland's Humm FM radio station, the former prime minister said with its single electorate the current system failed to represent the diversity of Fiji.
There were big differences across the country but the system was only focussed on the top candidate, Mr Rabuka said.
"For a man elected because he had a bigger number right across the board [it's] an unrealistic expectation. So I feel we still need geographical representation in our national parliament."
According to Mr Rabuka, it was widely expected that the last election in 2014 was going to be won by the coup maker and FijiFirst leader Frank Bainimarama.
Media control before the 2014 poll was such that candidates other than Mr Bainimarama were largely ignored, he said.
"It was not a choice; this is the only face we have seen. This is the only hand we have seen giving out what we cried out for. This is the only people giving the orders to the people who serve us in the Water Authority, in the Electricity Authority, the Roads Authority etcetera. So there was no other face."
Meanwhile, Mr Rabuka said that after this year's election he was prepared to enter into coalition talks with like-minded parties.
He also said once elected he would like to restore the Great Council of Chiefs which was done away with after the military coup led by Mr Bainimarama in late 2006.
