The People’s Alliance leader Sitiveni Rabuka has acknowledged that he has been labelled as the ‘father of coups’ by the general public.

Rabuka made this comment after the FijiFirst general secretary Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum referred to him as the father of coups during a press conference on Sunday.

Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum said the former prime minister had carried out two coups in 1987.

“Rabuka seems to be apologising every week for the past number of years. What is he apologising for? Probably the reason why he has been apologising continuously is because no one believes his apologies; he is not genuine at all,” Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum said.

In response, Rabuka said the FijiFirst was led by Voreqe Bainimarama who carried out the take-over in 2006.

He questioned why Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum was working with a such a leader.

“For most Fijians, yes, he is correct, but if he is saying that as the secretary general for FijiFirst, why is he working with another coup leader,” Rabuka said.

“If everybody learnt that the 1987 coup was wrong, why do it again?” he said.

When questioned as to why he asked for forgiveness from the public every other week regarding the coup he conducted in 1987, he said a good leader knows that he had offended others.

“If they have not heard and seen these apologies, you remind them that you are sorry for your actions if they have affected them in any way. This is why you ask them for apologies personally.”

He added FijiFirst was making accusations and claims against the political party because they probably felt threatened.

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