ʻAkilisi Pōhiva has announced his plan to run for Parliament again in the November election, his son and personal assistant Poʻoi Pōhiva has confirmed to Kaniva News this morning.
The former Prime Minister was dismissed yesterday after His Majesty King Tupou VI had dissolved the Legislative Assembly.
As Kaniva News reported, His Majesty also announced a new election for all Members of Parliament to be held no later than November 16.
The dissolution of the Parliament came after the king was advised by His Privy Council and the Speaker of Parliament.
In an interview with ‘Akilisi three years ago the long-time democratic veteran campaigner said he would stand for election one last time in the 2014 general election.
The revelation of Pohiva’s plan could give his great number of supporters in the kingdom and abroad a sense of relief, after many of them were devastated by his dismissal.
Po’oi did not give further details about his father’s plan but most of ‘Akilisi’s supporters had called on him to stand again for Parliament since the declaration of his dismissal yesterday.
His supporters did not believe there were solid reasons for the king to dismiss the people’s first elected Prime Minister.
The Privy Council has yet to give any reasons why it made the surprising royal command.
ʻAkilisi’s supporters had questioned the Privy Council and the Speaker of the House over their advice to dissolve Parliament given they were only elected to their positions by the king and the only 33 members of the nobility.
‘Akilisi always maintained that members of the Privy Council who were tasked with giving advice to the king were mostly people who dislike him
“The King is behaving like Kim Jong Un (dictator) of North Korea should he decided to dismiss the people’s PM. Tonga is going to revert back to chaos and democracy is no more. I don’t support the King in this move. The King should respect the will of the people, not his advisers and inner-circle. Tonga doesn’t need another riot”, a supporter of ‘Akilisi wrote on Kaniva website.
Supporters of the king stood by His decision and wrote on Facebook things like:
“Long live your Majesty”.
“The king love Tonga more than anybody else”
“The king made the decision to save the country”.
