Sidiq Koya

Sidiq M. Koya is an Indo-Fijian politician and veteran Opposition leader. As the leader of the National Federation Party, he was the Leader of the Official Opposition from 1972 to 1977, and again from 1984-1987. He led his National Federation Party (NFP) to a narrow victory in the elections of March 1977, and should have become Prime Minister, but internal party differences resulted the Governor General, Ratu Sir George Cakobau, calling on the defeated Prime Minister, Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, to form a new government. A second election to resolve the impasse was held in September that year, resulting in a heavy defeat for the NFP.

Koya is credited with his role in paving the way for Fijian independence from Britain in 1970. The National Federation Party, which represented mostly Indo-Fijian voters, had been opposing plans for independence without radical changes to the constitution, fearing ethnic Fijian domination; in particular, the NFP wanted a legislature to be elected by universal suffrage from a common electoral roll of all voters - a demand rejected by the main ethnic Fijian politicians, who wanted a communal franchise with parliamentary seats allocated among the different ethnic groups, elected from ethnic electoral rolls. Sidiq Koya was more willing to compromise than most Indo-Fijian politicians, and he was decisive in persuading his party and his people to accept independence with a communal franchise.