JPO evasive on who proposed that he stands on 10th district

Divorce bill promoter Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando has refused to reveal the identity of the person who has approached him to contest the Tenth district during the coming elections.

On his Facebook wall yesterday morning, Pullicino Orlando wrote: “I have been asked to contest the tenth electoral district in the forthcoming general elections by a high ranking member of the PN administration.”

Asked by MaltaToday who the the high ranking member was, Pullicino Orlando told MaltaToday that he preferred not to reveal the name: "I prefer not to disclose the name as it was a private conversation," adding that he had been approached following the divorce referendum campaign.

He said he had posted the news on Facebook to see how people would react to it: "So far I have received several calls and messages of support, with others saying they are willing to help me if I contest."

Asked why the Tenth district, Pullicino Orlando said it is a known fact that 30% of the Nationalist voters who voted in favour of the divorce bill had come from the Ninth (Prime Minister Lawrence Gozni’s constituency) and Tenth districts.

“It would be a move to try and bring the conservative and liberal factions together,” he said, adding he has not reached a decision yet.

The Tenth district, on which former PN candidate Cyrus Engerer also runs, is a PN stronghold and includes Sliema, St Julian’s, Gzira and Pembroke.

Pullicino Orlando added that if he contests the Tenth district, he would still retain the Seventh district. 

Contacted by MaltaToday, the Nationalist Party neither confirmed nor denied Pullicino Orlando’s statement, but it did add that the PN has not yet taken any decisions.

“At this stage, the Party has not taken any decisions regarding who will be a candidate and which districts will be contested,” a PN spokesman said.