The Tongan Parliament was told Tuesday the vote of no confidence motion could be void if they would not correct an error on a date written on the motion.
The date was written by Lord Tu’ilakepa when he signed as part of the 10 signatories required by the law to submit the Vote of No Confidence motion.
Kaniva News reports the noble wrote the date and it could be interpreted as it was either 31.09.2017 or 31.07.2017.
The Minister of Police spotted the numerical blunder and told the House the motion would be unlawful if they would not correct it.
The Speaker told MPs to correct the mistake and let the Lord Tu’ilakepa put his initial on it.
The Speaker said that although the Parliament has no policy which allowed the Prime Minister Akilisi Pohiva to provide a response to the accusation against him, Pohiva was given an opportunity.
The motion was tabled in parliament by Lord Tu’iha’angana Monday, one of seven Nobles’ Representatives who signed it.
Six other nobles were Lord Tuʻilakepa, Lord Vaea, Lord Tuʻiʻāfitu, Lord Nuku, Lord Tuʻihaʻateiho and Lord Fusituʻa.
Three independent MPs who signed the motion were deputy Prime Minister Samiu Vaipulu, Vili Hingano and Fe’ao Vakata whoPohiva sacked for misconduct last year.
According to the motion the Prime Minister was accused of nepotism by hiring his son Po’oi as his personal assistant and is being blamed for putting people into a number of high ranking government positions without going through due process.
Pohiva was also accused of trying to interfere with the king’s power and to remove the acting Attorney General.
He was also accused for his attempt to dismiss the CEO of the Pacific Games Organising Committee but it was quashed by the court.
The Prime Minister’s part in defending his former Cabinet Minister who was found guilty of bribery charges was part of the claims laid out in the motion.
He was also accused for damaging relations between Tonga and Indonesia with his comments supporting the struggle for West Papuan independence.