THE Official Opposition Group has strongly condemned being part of a purported plan to oust the Prime Minister Hon Manasseh Sogavare.

This statement came as a response from the Opposition Office through the Leader Hon Jeremiah Manele’s Press Secretary Douglas Marau to Solomon Star’s front page yesterday.

“The secret move to oust the Prime Minister (PM) Manasseh Sogavare is still active and gaining momentum, a Member of Parliament (MP) has disclosed.

“This was despite claims that things are settling down.

“The move started a fortnight ago in a secret meeting held in one of the premier hotels in Honiara

“Those in attendance included members of the Democratic Coalition for Change Government (DCCG), Opposition, and Independent Group.

“According to an insider, a prominent businessman called the meeting to discuss what he described as ‘Mr Sogavare’s poor and weak leadership’.

“The MP who declined to be named told the Solomon Star yesterday members of the DCCG are regrouping again and are now taking the leading role to remove the PM, for what they described as the only hope to save this country from total destruction,” the article stated.

The Opposition then strongly stated in response to its stated involvement that, “This story is misleading and false.

“The Opposition is not part of any plans to oust the Prime Minister.

“Any plan as such is internal and has nothing to do with the Opposition.

“I do not know where the Reporter got his sources from because all current Opposition MPs are on constituency tour.

“This kind of reporting is very irresponsible especially when it is unbalanced and contains false information,” Press Secretary Marau said.

Douglas Marau then confirmed to Island Sun yesterday that he had already verbally spoken to the Solomon Star Editor about the particular Reporter’s, what he specifically stated as, “continuous ignorance of simple journalism ethics”.

“Reporters must strive for accuracy and stop feeding our public with inaccurate stories.

“The Reporter did not even attempt to seek clarification from my office,” the Opposition Press Secretary said.

Mr Marau then added that he will be writing a formal complaint to the Solomon Star Editor and the Media Association of Solomon Islands (MASI) President regarding the issue of reporters basing facts on rumours.

“This is not the first time and it is becoming a very bad and common practice,” Douglas Marau added.