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Pio Tikoduadua

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The Honourable
Pio Tikoduadua
MP
Tikoduadua in 2014
Minister for Home Affairs and Immigration
Incumbent
Assumed office
24 December 2022
Prime MinisterSitiveni Rabuka
Preceded byInia Seruiratu
President of the National Federation Party
Incumbent
Assumed office
3 June 2017
Preceded byTupou Draunidalo
Minister for Infrastructure and Transport
In office
24 September 2014 – 11 May 2015
Prime MinisterFrank Bainimarama
Succeeded byParveen Kumar
Member of the Fijian Parliament
for NFP List
Incumbent
Assumed office
17 November 2018
Member of the Fijian Parliament
for FijiFirst List
In office
17 September 2014 – 11 May 2015
Personal details
Born (1966-09-12) 12 September 1966 (age 58)
Korovou, Tailevu, Fiji
Political partyNational Federation Party (2017 - Present)
FijiFirst (2014 - 2015)
SpouseSereana Ula Cagilaba (1971-)
Children2
Alma materThe University of New South Wales
Websitewww.nfpfiji.org

Lt Col Pio Tikoduadua (born 12 September 1966) is a Fijian politician, cabinet minister and member of the Parliament of Fiji. He is the current president of the National Federation Party.

Early life and military career

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Tikoduadua was born in Namalata, Tailevu and raised by his single mother, Senoveva Ranadi. He attended primary school at Natovi and Saint Vincent College as well as St John's College in Levuka.[1] He joined the Republic of Fiji Military Forces cadet training school with the former RFMF Land Force Commander, Brigadier-General Mosese Tikoitoga. He also worked as an interpreter in the local courts to gain experience. He was educated at multiple universities including University of New South Wales, the Centre for Defence and Strategic Studies in Canberra and the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California, reaching the rank of lieutenant colonel after graduating from the Australian Defence Force Command and Staff College in 2006. As a military officer, he has served in Lebanon, Egypt, East Timor and the Solomon Islands. He has also held several leadership roles before becoming chief of staff: Operations at the RFMF. Following the 2006 Fijian coup d'état he was one of a number of military officers appointed to senior public service positions. He was initially appointed as Permanent Secretary of Justice,[2] and in 2008 as Permanent Secretary at the prime minister's office.[3][4]

FijiFirst and Cabinet

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In June 2014, Tikoduadua resigned as permanent secretary to pursue a career in politics, joining the FijiFirst party.[5] He was elected in the 2014 election, in which he won 3,611 votes.[6] He was appointed to Cabinet as Minister for Infrastructure and Transport in September 2014.[7] On 11 May 2015 he resigned as Minister due to his failing health as he was suffering from an advanced form of cancer and wanted to spend time with his family and his people in Delasui, Tailevu.[8] He was replaced as Minister by Parveen Kumar.[9]

National Federation Party

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In April 2017, he returned to politics, joining the National Federation Party. He expressed doubts about the actions of the military regime, including its rewriting of the constitution in 2013,[3] and claimed that he resigned from FijiFirst after MP Dr Neil Sharma was forced to resign after voting against the government on a matter of conscience.[10] In June 2017, he was appointed the NFP President.[11]

He ran as a candidate for the NFP in the 2018 elections and was elected,[12] winning 2684 votes.

In August 2019 Tikoduadua was assaulted by Fijian prime minister Frank Bainimarama after a parliamentary debate.[13] The assault was captured on video,[14] and was subsequently referred to the Fijian Parliament's Privileges Committee.[15] The committee found that there was no assault, and that the two parties should apologise to each other for verbally attacking one another in parliament.[16] When Tikoduadua refused to do so he was suspended from Parliament for six months.[17] A police complaint for assault resulted in no charges being laid as it was a matter for parliament.[18][19] Two parliamentary staff who had videoed the assault were forced to resign.[20]

Tikoduadua returned to Parliament in March 2020.[21] In April 2020 he was arrested for sharing a video exposing brutality by Fijian Police over Facebook.[22] No charges were laid against him,[23] and five police officers were later charged over the assault he exposed.[24]

In July 2021 he was one of a number of opposition MPs detained by police after criticising government moves to amend land legislation.[25]

He was re-elected in the 2022 election[26] with 2222 votes.[27] On 24 December 2022 he was appointed Minister for Home Affairs and Immigration in the coalition government of Sitiveni Rabuka.[28] His first action as Minister was to ask Police Commissioner Sitiveni Qiliho to resign.[29]

In November 2024, Pio Tikoduadua offered to temporarily step aside as Fiji's Minister for Home Affairs and Immigration to allow an impartial investigation into the unauthorized issuance of passports to members of the controversial Grace Road Church.[30][31]

References

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  1. ^ "Tikoduadua: Let's Strive Together To Better The Lives Of All Fijians". Fiji Sun. 18 October 2014. Retrieved 30 April 2015.
  2. ^ Firth, Stewart; Fraenkel, Jon (2009). "The Fiji military and ethno-nationalism: Analyzing the paradox". In Jon Fraenkel; Stewart Firth; Brij V. Lal (eds.). The 2006 Military Takeover in Fiji: A Coup to End All Coups?. ANU E Press. p. 128.
  3. ^ a b "Former Fiji minister reveals doubts over constitution". RNZ. 19 April 2017. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
  4. ^ "Permanent Secretary Prime Ministers Office and Auditor General appointed". Fijian Government. 29 July 2010. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
  5. ^ Kotoiwasawasa, Vosita (29 July 2014). "Tikoduadua resigns to contest election". Fiji Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 30 April 2015.
  6. ^ "2014 Election Results". Fiji Elections Office. Archived from the original on 2014-09-21. Retrieved 2014-09-25.
  7. ^ "20-member Cabinet announced". FBC. 2014-09-24. Retrieved 2014-09-25.
  8. ^ "Fiji Minister resigns due to ill health". Radio NZ. Retrieved 11 May 2015.
  9. ^ Rosi Doviverata (11 May 2015). "Changes In Govt Portfolios After Tikoduadua's Resignation". Fiji Sun. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
  10. ^ Losirene Lacanivalu (2017-04-16). "PM Responds To Tikoduadua's New Reasons For Resignation In 2015". Fiji Sun. Retrieved 2017-06-09.
  11. ^ "Tikoduadua: I Am Honoured | Fiji Sun". fijisun.com.fj. Retrieved 2017-06-09.
  12. ^ Talebula Kate (18 November 2018). "2018 General Election: NFP trio to join Opposition". Fiji Times. Retrieved 18 November 2018.
  13. ^ Arvind Kumar (9 August 2019). "MP claims Fiji Prime Minister assaulted him, Bainimarama refutes allegations". Stuff. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
  14. ^ "Fijian Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama filmed shoving rival politician in Parliament's car park". ABC. 24 August 2019. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
  15. ^ "Fiji PM and Opposition MP referred to Privileges Committee". RNZ. 2 September 2019. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
  16. ^ "Bainimarama apologises to Pio Tikoduadua". Indian Newslink. 12 September 2019. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
  17. ^ "Fiji opposition MP suspended for refusing to apologise to PM". Asia-Pacific Report. 9 September 2019. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
  18. ^ Arvind Kumar (17 October 2019). "Case closed: No charges to be laid against Bainimarama in relation to assault of MP". Stuff. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
  19. ^ Kate Lyon (17 October 2019). "Fiji PM Bainimarama won't face assault charges over carpark tussle with MP". The Guardian. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
  20. ^ "Fiji parliament staff made to resign over video of PM's shove". RNZ. 10 September 2019. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
  21. ^ Fonua Talei (6 March 2020). "Tikoduadua Suspension Ends, Promises An Aggresive Return". Fiji Sun. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
  22. ^ "Fiji opposition figure arrested over Facebook post". RNZ. 21 April 2020. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
  23. ^ "Fiji DPP drops case against opposition MP Pio Tikodudua". RNZ. 15 May 2020. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
  24. ^ "Five Fiji police officers charged over bridge assault". RNZ. 18 June 2020. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
  25. ^ "Fiji opposition MPs taken in by police". RNZ. 27 July 2021. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
  26. ^ Singh, Indira (18 December 2022). "Top 55 confirmed". FBC. Archived from the original on 18 December 2022. Retrieved 24 December 2022.
  27. ^ "Pio Tikoduadua (246)". Fijian Elections Office. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
  28. ^ Apenisa Waqairadovu (24 December 2022). "Siromi Turaga sworn in as new AG". FBC News. Retrieved 24 December 2022.
  29. ^ "Tikoduadua asks Fiji's Commissioner of Police to resign". RNZ. 29 December 2022. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
  30. ^ Inoke Rabonu (22 November 2024). "Tikoduadua Offers to Steps Aside Amid Grace Road Passport Investigation". Fiji Sun. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
  31. ^ Praneeta Prakash (24 November 2024). "I will convey my decision to Tikoduadua first: Rabuka". FBC News. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
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