PN leadership hopeful Adrian Delia this evening was met with wild cheers from a number of his supporter who had gathered outside a Net TV studio, where he was taking part in a scheduled interview, saying that he will continue the race for the PN leadership..
The interview was broadcast at the same time that the PN’s administrative committee was meeting to discuss the allegations levelled against him by blogger and journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia.
Addressing his supporters, Delia said: “no one is bigger than the party. This is not a race for power but a race for the PN to be the party for real nationalists.”
He then spoke briefly to the media, telling journalists that “the PN is not dead.”
Replying to questions by The Malta Independent, Delia said neither Simon Busuttil nor any other party official had asked him to withdraw as a candidate, adding that they did not even have the authority to do so.
Delia said he had not been invited for the administrative committee meeting and was not informed of its agenda. It seems, he said, that some of its members had only learnt about the meeting from the media. “I do not know how this meeting was convened, who requested it and if the party’s statute has been adhered to, when there is an ongoing electoral process.”
"I do not know what the administrative committee will decide but its powers are limited to administrative matters, not the electoral process. If the electoral commission asks me to go I will go in all tranquility and serenity. I will offer an explanation on anything. I have no doubt in mind is truth will prevail.”
He also said those who were using the weapons of spin and lies would wither away while those who had the weapon of truth would prevail.
Delia said he had always been truthful about his finances.
He appealed to his supporters to keep calm and enphasised that, “our enemies are not the Nationalist Party people but the Labour Party”. Delia said the PN should dictate its own agenda and stop 'others' from doing so.
Delia said PN supporters should not fight each other and that during the worst times the PN will get back on his feet.
During the interview on Net TV Delia said that, should he be elected as leader of the party, the PN would be stronger and more united than ever.
“The PN supporters want to see their party become a strong opposition. I am convinced that unity within the party will start from day one,” he told the interviewer.
He said that in the past three days he received thousands of messages of support and solidarity. “I want to show that the party is going to detach itself from persons and groups of people because the party is going to have its own agenda and show people that we have a vision and ideas. We should bring back those people who were hurt by the PN, stop being negative and start winning back the people’s trust.”
“If I am not elected I will give my contribution to the party but with one condition; that this party will be the people’s party and not be hijacked. My family and I lost our privacy and now there is no turning back. I will help the party and my country. The moment I become leader this party has three important things to face; Independence Day and two parliamentary bills; one on prostitution and the other on match fixing, and we need to be prepared and have our own views.”
Photos by Baskal Mallia