PL Activist Neville Gafà Says Robert Abela Should Resign
Labour activist Neville Gafà, once a trusted associated of Joseph Muscat, has said that Robert Abela must step down as Prime Minister if the PL is to win the next election.
In a series of blogposts, Gafà called out Abela in light of a MaltaToday survey which found that PN is leading PL by 12,000 votes. While he challenged the newspaper’s interpretation of the data, as statistician Vincent Marmara has done, he warned that the trend of thousands of PL voters intending to stay at home is correct.
And in a sign that the PL is more fragmented than its rhetoric of “unity” would indicate, Gafà pointed the finger squarely at Abela. In fact, he warned that it is only the unpopularity of Opposition Leader Bernard Grech that is keeping the Prime Minister above water.
“The survey clearly shows that as soon as the PN changes its leader, the PL will lose the general election,” Gafà said. “As a point of departure, the electorate doesn’t want Robert Abela’s Labour or Bernard Grech.”
“The fact that the PL is continuing to haemorrhage votes reflects on Robert Abela. He is the one who takes decision.”
“The fact that he is beating Bernard Grech isn’t a sign of Robert Abela’s strength but of Bernard Grech’s weakness. Robert Abela will remain above water so long as Grech remains in charge of the PN, but as soon as he is removed, and he will be removed, Abela will sink.”
“Despite all of this, I believe that the changes to the party two weeks ago will place the PL in a strong position to win the next general election. Those who need to understand will understand.”
In another blog, Gafà openly mooted the benefits of PL removing Abela before the next election.
“The survey shows that the party that changes its leader first will win the election. Unless Robert Abela drastically changes his attitude and stops being so arrogant, then only choice to win the election would be to change him. It is crystal clear,” he wrote.
And in another, he said that Abela and Grech should both step down because “the people are tired of you”.
Although Gafà didn’t specify who should succeed Abela as Prime Minister, he said last July that he would be open to Joseph Muscat returning as PL leader “if the people want him to”.
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