By Martha Taumata Faavae
The ruling Human Rights Protection Party, HRPP, will confront ‘election campaign lies’ its political opponents are allegedly spreading in the villages during party rallies.
The HRPP head-on counter strategy was decided in a caucus meeting of the party today, Wednesday 13 January 2021, at Petesa Headquarters, Sogi.
The Prime Minister and HRPP leader, Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi, led the gathering of party MPs and election candidates where the strategic move was raised.
The PM urged party members to attend these opposition political rallies staged in their constituencies and challenge them head-on against their smear claims.
“They should not be allowed to spread lies about the Government when they hold political rallies in your constituencies,” Tuilaepa urged.
“We’ve called this meeting so we can go over the smear tactics our political opponents are using and how we should confront them with the truth.”
PM Tuilaepa is aware of how his leadership is targetted as dominating, overpowering and dictatorial.
The party leader also mentioned the constitutional changes to the Lands and Titles Court and the overseas vote being dragged along the dirt as smear issues to turn the voters against Government.
“For all our newcomers to the HRPP these are among the issues that are being used by these political parties against us in the villages.
“ The people spreading these lies are better liars than Satan himself as they lie through their teeth.”
Tuilaepa is looking forward, however, to the final session of Parliament next week to try and undo all the election campaign misinformation to deceive the voters.
The PM is unforgiving at what he claimed was a planned move by former deputy Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mataafa, who walked out to become an opposition member.
“She was still sitting in Cabinet while the move to set up the new opposition party was being hatched up for her to join.
“There are photos taken of her meeting with organisers of this party to prove it. Unknown to Fiame I had long known about her intentions and so too did the whole Cabinet.”
The HRPP is contesting the general elections in April with more registered candidates than any of the opposition parties.
The party dominance in the 50-member Parliament is now down to 44 with the loss of Fiame and two other Government MPs forced to leave the party.
The HRPP caucus meeting reassured new candidates running for the first time to remain steadfast and to confident in their winning chances in the election polls.