Johanna Gonzi eyes mayorship as missing councillor returns from Russian trip

On  Tuesday morning, Sliema residents received a personalised letter from PN secretary general Borg Olivier explaining why he had expelled his own Nationalist mayor Nikki Dimech who ‘admitted’ to asking for a kickback from Stephen Buhagiar known as it-Tipo and the driver of Nationalist backbencher Robert Arrigo.  Dimech insists that he admitted this under duress.

And on Tuesday evening, Nikki Dimech was summoned by the Police and interrogated by Michael Cassar and Angelo Gafa.  The courts were opened urgently at 20.00 hrs on the same day and he was arraigned infront of Magistrate Apap Bologna .

Inspector Gafa insisted that Dimech should be incarcerated and even in the indictment also referred to interviews given by Dimech in The MaltaToday and The Times which he strangely interpreted as a threat. 

Dimech’s defence counsel noted the close to comfort timing of the whole event.  Magistrate Apap Bologna acceded to bail.

As Dimech was being interrogated, the labour party was deciding whether to vote for Dimech or simply abstain.  Labour leader told aides that he would be pushing for the PL councillors to abstain.

PN councilors Patrick Pace who was off in Russia for a personal visit returns to Malta.  He was at once contacted by PN officials who informed him of how crucial his vote was for the PN.  A week ago, Dimech insisted that Pace was on his side.

Patrick Pace is in government employment and works at Mater Dei.

Days before, two PN councilors admitted that they had been coerced by Paul Borg Olivier to sign a motion to impeach Dimech.  The two councillors are Sandra Camilleri and Edward Cuschieri.  Sandra Camilleri and Nikki Dimech have since resigned from the PN.

It appears that Johanna Gonzi will be the new mayor.  And for the time being the political storm in Sliema would have been calmed, but not without some serious collateral damage and long term implications for the Nationalist party.