The king is set to appoint Prime Minister-elect ‘Aisake Eke this morning, Wednesday, 22.
The announcement marks a significant development nearly a month following the recent Prime Ministerial election on December 24.
The announcement comes after Eke met the king at the Nuku’alofa Royal Palace yesterday.
This is the second time a meeting between His Majesty and Eke was made public, although no details of the meetings were provided, after a private meeting in New Zealand early this month.
The king’s Private Secretary, Sione Fifita, reportedly confirmed that the appointment schedule will be at 10am at the Royal Palace.
The press gathered outside the palace yesterday expecting the appointment to occur, but the event did not happen, piquing curiosity.
“Outside Palace grounds, no media allowed, no news of whether PM Designate was appointed by King or whether it was an audience” no press release or presser, the ABC Correspondent in Tonga Marian Kupu said on Facebook.
“PM designate has left the Palace after Secretary of Foreign Affairs Viliami Malolo left the Palace”.
The latest unofficial information circulating in the Tongan media has claimed that no nobility MP was nominated for the Cabinet.
The nominations are allegedly all People’s elected MPs and four ministers outside the legislature, including Crown Prince Tupoutoʻa ʻUlukalala, who will hold both the Foreign Affairs and Defence portfolios.