NFP withdraws from constitution amendment committee

National Federation Party leader Professor Biman Prasad says his party will no longer participate in the Special Parliamentary Committee overseeing the Constitution Amendment Bill 2026, citing concerns over rushed consultations and inadequate public engagement.

Speaking at a press conference today, Prasad said he would also decline to sign the committee’s report, which is expected to be presented to Parliament next week.

He said the NFP had exhausted its efforts to persuade Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka and the committee to extend the consultation process beyond the next general election.

Prasad criticised the limited opportunity for meaningful exchanges between committee members and people making submissions. He said the failure to explain the Bill’s provisions in iTaukei and Hindi had further restricted public understanding and participation.

He also questioned how the committee could complete its work without collectively examining the Bill clause by clause, saying fundamental questions remained unanswered.

According to Prasad, the timetable from October 12 to 31 allowed three days for committee deliberations, 13 days for public consultations and just two days to finalise the report. He described this as insufficient for reform involving the country’s supreme law.

Prasad said the exclusion of Opposition parties, particularly from the Constitution Review Commission, had also weakened efforts to build national consensus.

He argued that criticism of the way the 2013 Constitution was introduced must be matched by a commitment to a credible and inclusive reform process. Otherwise, he warned, its replacement risked also being perceived as imposed.

Prasad said there was no compelling reason to complete constitutional reform before the next general election. He maintained that the process could continue afterwards, allowing proper parliamentary scrutiny and an informed public decision through a referendum.

Despite withdrawing from the committee, he said the NFP remained committed to constitutional reform and constructive engagement with its coalition partners.

“Constitutional legitimacy cannot be sacrificed for political expediency,” Prasad said.

“Fiji deserves a constitution made with its people, and not hurried past them.”