Te Pāti Māori president John Tamihere has fired back over calls to resign – instead suggesting MPs Takuta Ferris and Mariameno Kapa-Kingi should throw in the towel.
Calls for Tamihere to resign came after a vote by party members to suspend Kapa-Kingi last month. Although the vote was successful, it was not unanimous within the party.
Today, the executive of Te Tai Tonga electorate began a petition for Tamihere’s resignation.
The petition, which was posted to Instagram, had also been liked by Te Pāti Māori co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer.
The electorate had previously abstained from suspending Kapa-Kingi at the National Council hui in October. It later called for a vote of no confidence in Tamihere.
On Facebook, Tamihere responded: “Instead of endeavouring to destroy our ability to end this Government’s reign next year, we invite Kapa-Kingi and Ferris to do the honourable thing.”
He said the MPs’ conduct is “not based on mana, is not based on integrity and honesty or on principle. Their conduct is based on greed, avarice and entitlement”.
‘It’s time for change’
Speaking to 1News this afternoon, Kapa-Kingi said Tamihere’s post was “much of the same to be completely honest”.
“I’m not disturbed by it.”
She reiterated her message “it’s time for change”.
When asked by 1News if she would take Tamihere’s advice and resign, Kapa-Kingi said: “The only way I leave this role is when Te Tai Tokerau says its time to move on.”
“I was elected and [Tamihere] was not,” she said.
The war of words on both sides has caused the party’s inner turmoil to spill into public view once again.
It is the latest conflict after months of bad blood amongst the party after allegations were made by the MP’s son, former party executive Eru Kapa-Kingi, of a “dictatorship model” by the party leadership.
