UPDATED: 9:57am – Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama and Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum are the preferred team to lead Fiji, the latest Razor Research poll for the Fiji Sun reveals.
Mr Bainimarama maintains a strong lead with a whopping 71 per cent approval rating. In the last poll he scored 59 per cent. This is a major jump and it reflects the work he has been putting in across the country.
Mr Sayed-Khaiyum is preferred as Deputy Prime Minister by 57 per cent of Fijians, confirming his number two status in FijiFirst leadership.
This does not come as a surprise. In the 2014 election, Mr Bainimarama received the highest votes while Mr Sayed-Khaiyum polled third highest votes. Second highest number of votes were received by former SODELPA leader Ro Teimumu Kepa.
Mr Bainimarama and Mr Sayed-Khaiyum have their own unique strengths that they bring to FijiFirst. The dynamic duo complement each other and produce the best leadership combination for the longest period.
In fact out of the Cabinet which was appointed in January 2007 by the late Tui Vuda, Mr Bainimarama and Mr Sayed-Khaiyum were the only two members who went on together to form the Fiji First Government.
Mr Sayed-Khaiyum has also been the first candidate confirmed by the Prime Minister for the 2018 General Election. He had informed an earlier sitting of Parliament that: “I will again be going into the next General Election with the Attorney-General and Minister for Economy by my side and the rest of the 49 candidates asking the Fijian people to enable us to continue to lead the journey.”
Mr Sayed-Khaiyum provides technical, legal, economic know-how and complements the strong leadership, people touch and popularity of Mr Bainimarama.
It is this complementary teamwork which has impressed the general Fijian public.
For Mr Bainimarama, Mr Sayed-Khaiyum has been the apt wingman or right-hand man who has ensured compliance to the rule of law, ensuring the i’s are dotted and the t’s are crossed.
Their camaraderie, the mutual trust and respect that exists between the two has also given a sense of hope to the Fijian public who have not come to expect such loyalty amongst themselves by politicians.
In a political scenario where no two politicians before have had such long mutual understanding and partnership, the two provide a refreshing change.
Interestingly, more people prefer the Opposition Leader Ro Teimumu over SODELPA leader Sitiveni Rabuka as a leader. 13 per cent of Fijians polled prefer Ro Teimumu as Prime Minister over seven per cent who prefer Mr Rabuka.
In the last poll, Ro Teimumu got 14 per cent and Mr Rabuka scored 13 per cent.
There is no doubt Mr Rabuka is affected by the internal party rows, the latest involved a leaked confidential memo to the party.
National Federation Party leader Biman Prasad continues to lag behind with a mere 4 per cent preferring him as the head of Government.
Out of four number two’s in the three major parties, 57 per cent said they would vote for Mr Sayed-Khaiyum while five per cent prefer NFP president Pio Tikoduadua and three per cent prefer SODELPA’s Aseri Radrodro and two per cent want Niko Nawaikula.
Another interesting insight the poll highlights is Mr Tikoduadua and Mr Radrodro’s growing popularity in the Northern Division.
While 38 per cent Fijians in the Northern Division prefer Mr Sayed-Khaiyum, 19 per cent prefer Mr Radrodro and 17 per cent see Mr Tikoduadua as someone who could fill in as the country’s deputy Prime Minister.
Surprisingly, only seven per cent see Mr Nawaikula as a strong number two in SODELPA.
Northern Division has been a stronghold for Mr Nawaikula who is from Vanua Levu.
68 per cent of Fijians polled are confident FijiFirst will form the next Government while 16 per cent feel SODELPA will form the next Government.
The poll was conducted in Suva, and in the West and North.
-Fiji Sun
