CLAIMING the support of 28 of 50 Members of Parliament, Peter Kenilorea Jr. and Peter Shanel Agovaka declared that Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele’s government was operating under minority rule.
And they called on Manele to resign.
“This group is solid 28; we have been solid for the last week in coming together,” Kenilorea said.
“We’re not simply saying that through photographs. It’s not just snapshots of photos… It’s actually registered in the Political Parties Commission.”
Kenilorea challenged the Prime Minister to verify these numbers.
The bloc argued that holding onto power without a majority was a violation of the Solomon Islands’ constitutional spirit.
The country was plunged into a political crisis when 19 MPs quit the ruling coalition two weeks ago.
Since then, Manele has attempted to operate a viable government by appointing new ministers.
The opposition has filed a motion of no confidence in Manele and reiterated several times the call for his resignation.
“The fact that the Prime Minister is now going to get people to be acting, to be supervising, that in itself is a confirmation that he is ruling by a minority,” Kenilorea told Indepth Solomons.
“And ruling by a minority is this thing we call repugnant. It’s like something that already smells bad now… we need to clear that out, make it fresh again.”
Kenilorea said Manele had two options–resign or take the issue to parliament.
Agovaka concluded with a plea for the Prime Minister to prioritize the state over personal power.