An online attack on the Tongan Electoral Commission was designed to disrupt Thursday’s by-election, the Commission said today.
It described the attack on the commission as a fabrication.
The commission said a Facebook post by somebody using the name Takaeafe alleged impropriety by the supervisor of elections.
“It is a blatant attempt to interfere with and disrupt the democratic process on the eve of a Parliamentary by-election in the Tongatapu 1 constituency,” the commission said.
It is also a libelous and untrue attack on the integrity and independence of Tonga’s Electoral commission.”
The commission said the Facebook post had been referred to the police.
The election is being held to fill the vacancy left by the death of former Prime Minister ‘Akilisi Pohiva.
Mr Pohiva’s son Siaosi is standing against environmental scientist Netatua Pelesikoti Taufatofua, who lost to the former Prime Minister in 2017.
Dr Taufatofua is a Director of the Climate Change Programme at the regional environmental group, SPREP.
A total of 4,382 voters have registered for the election.
This is 126 more than registered for the general election in 2017.
