An attempt to reunite the PN under a “power-sharing agreement”, which would involve Chris Said and someone close to Adrian Delia running for the two deputy leadership posts as sole candidates, has hit obstacles.
Sources within the PN have told The Sunday Times of Malta that David Agius and Robert Arrigo are both adamant on forging ahead with their respective bids. The former wants to become deputy leader for parliamentary affairs, the post earmarked for Dr Said, and the latter is gunning for party affairs.
This will present a serious stumbling block to Dr Delia’s plan to patch up the serious cracks in the party after he beat Dr Said to the post of leader in last month’s election. Many MPs backed Dr Said.
Other potential contestants for the deputy leadership positions – Clyde Puli, Kristy Debono and Edwin Vassallo, who only announced his candidacy yesterday – have hinted they would be willing to play ball and drop out of the race if necessary.
The same sources said that soon after his narrow victory over Dr Said, Dr Delia had called on the Gozitan MP and encouraged him to run as deputy leader for parliamentary affairs.
Dr Delia held out the olive branch in a bid to bring about unity by following the examples set by Eddie Fenech Adami, who in 1977 had made a similar offer to Guido de Marco, and by Simon Busuttil when Mario de Marco had become deputy leader in 2013.
Dr Said declined to comment when asked about the matter but sources said Dr Said had accepted Dr Delia’s offer. His condition, however, was that he would run for the post uncontested.
Dr Said based his demand on the fact that the same condition of a one-horse race had been part of the agreements with the de Marcos.
The same source said the new PN leader was ready to accommodate this request so long as Dr Said returned the favour by ensuring that none of the MPs who backed him for leader contest the post of deputy leader for party affairs.
“Such a plan would be a good compromise as it would eliminate the possibility of having two deputy leaders from Dr Said’s camp trying to clip the leader’s wings,” sources close to Dr Delia said.
However, the entire plan risks going up in smoke unless all other candidates play ball. Mr Arrigo, who was perceived by the Delia camp as being sympathetic to Dr Said, certainly isn’t. In fact, he is being accused by Delia’s people of trying to “derail” the entire power-sharing agreement.
Sources close to the leadership confirmed that Mr Arrigo had rejected “Dr Delia’s plea for unity” by refusing to withdraw from the race for deputy leader for party affairs in return for being ‘encouraged’ to run for the post of treasurer.
This post would not be a run-of-the-mill position but would be beefed up to give it greater weight in important decisions, the sources said.
Adrian Delia and Chris Said spar during the leadership debate. Photo: MArk Zammit Cordina“Mr Arrigo is the main stumbling block for the deal with Dr Said to happen,” they added.
Mr Arrigo yesterday reiterated his intention to forge ahead with his campaign.
In a Facebook post, he refuted claims that he was being backed by Dr Said, despite having been present at a social activity held recently at the PN Safi club. Mr Arrigo insisted he had only attended on Dr Said’s invitation to the event held to thank volunteers who had helped in the campaign of the Gozitan MP.
“I have always been my own man, and not somebody’s sidekick,” he said.
Mr Arrigo also took a dig at the leadership in the wake of Dr Delia’s recent remarks in which he did not exclude receiving a salary as head of the party over and above his remuneration package as Opposition leader.
I have always been my own man, and not somebody’s sidekick
“I declare that I will accept no remuneration from the PN for my work. I gave and will give to the party. I will not take. Money should go to the employees of the party,” he said.
Likewise, Mr Agius yesterday said that he had no intention of dropping out of the race for parliamentary affairs deputy leader, where he would be a rival to Dr Said.
“I had made it clear from day one of my candidature, back in July, that I was ready to work with whoever was elected leader, and that regardless of the outcome I would be running for deputy leader for parliamentary affairs.”
He recalled he had made this clear to all four leadership candidates and none of them had objected, including Dr Said.
“If at this point in time somebody does not wish to have an open, democratic race, it is not my problem at all,” he added.
“After four terms in Parliament I feel the time is ripe for me to take this step.”
Mr Agius did not publicly endorse any of the candidates during the leadership race but he already seems to have gelled with Dr Delia. He was handpicked by the leader to accompany him to last Tuesday’s first-ever meeting with Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, fuelling speculation that he already had his backing as a candidate.
The other people named as potential deputy leadership contestants are more willing to play along with Dr Delia’s plan.
Contacted by this newspaper, Mr Puli, who backed Dr Delia, insisted that internal party affairs were not up for public discussion. He stressed that he would be loyal to Dr Delia, in the same way he had been to his predecessors.
“I am ready to serve in any position which the leader and the party might deem to be in the best interests of the same party. For me this is not a question of egos and personal ambitions. I wholeheartedly believe that no one is greater than the party,” Mr Puli said.
Party sources pointed out that the MP had already stopped campaigning and that he had been encouraged to contest the post of president of the Administrative Council, which they said would have a greater say in party strategy.
Kristy Debono, another MP who had endorsed Dr Delia. She echoed Mr Puli’s stance regarding her possible candidature: “I am willing to do whatever it takes in the best interests of the party and will be ready to serve wherever the leader seems fit.”
Ms Debono added that this issue was not about personal ambition but about unifying the party behind the new leader and starting work immediately as a proactive and effective Opposition to offer an alternative government to the electorate.
“The deputy leaders must be loyal to the leader, party and the common vision which it will articulate in the weeks to come,” she said.
Edwin Vassallo, who had endorsed Dr Said and yesterday announced his candidacy for the parliamentary affairs post, has already made it clear that he took the plunge after holding talks with Dr Delia. He promised that he too would be willing to withdraw if party whip Mr Agius agreed to follow suit, in order to leave Dr Said as an uncontested candidate.