16 Jan 2012

Fiji AG suggests military leader seek elected office

6:26 am on 16 January 2012

Fiji's interim attorney-general says the military leader, Commodore Frank Bainimarama, should run for prime minister in the elections promised for 2014.

Speaking to the Sydney Morning Herald, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, says he thinks Commodore Bainimarama is good for Fiji.

After staging a coup in 2006, the military commander said the army would stay out of government, but within a month Commodore Bainimarama replaced Joni Senilagakali as the interim administration's prime minister.

Although the appeal court ruled the interim government illegal in 2009, he has continued to rule by decree.

Commodore Bainimarama says he wants to return the country to democracy in 2014 but has said the politicians he ousted won't be allowed to get back to power.

The 1987 military coup leader, Sitiveni Rabuka, was elected prime minister twice after quitting the military.