Sir Puka denies claim: I moved for the truth

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By HELEN TARAWA
ABAU MP Sir Puka Temu says he and others recently defected from the Peter O’Neill-led Government “for the truth”.
Sir Puka told The National that the MPs were not “opportunists” as claimed by Prime Minister Peter O’Neill.
“Those of us who left his Government are not opportunists. We left knowing he still has the numbers,” he said.
“I had stood by him on many occasions to defend him but I cannot keep on telling lies when I know the truth. We are not opportunists as claimed (by O’Neill).”
Sir Puka said he was sitting next to O’Neill at the People’s National Congress caucus meeting on May 1 at the Crowne Plaza hotel when Deputy Prime Minister Charles Abel told O’Neill he was eroding the national institution systems and governance structures.
“His lack of respect for state ministers, for example, directing the Secretary Treasury and Finance to print cheques so he can distribute them wherever he went around the country without the portfolio ministers being respectfully informed,” he said.
He also accused O’Neill of “personally driving agendas against Cabinet decisions”.
“We will inform our people these and many more issues in the coming days,” he said.
Sir Puka said O’Neill knew he had lost the respect of citizens and of over that 60 MPs, including Abel.
“I was there for seven years and I know. We are leaders who chose what we did because it’s the truth.”