Dalvanius Prime yesterday welcomed the open endorsement and support of the Kotahitanga Mana Maori Movement at Ratana Pa by Dave James, the national president of Mana Motuhake.

"Following representations by Hon Tuariki Delamere, Tame Iti and myself to a large gathering of Ratana Pa residents, I was thrilled and humbled to have Dave James stand up and declare to those present that the coalition of Piri Wiri Tua, Mana Maori and Te Tawharau under the electoral banner of the Mana Maori Movement was the path forward that the Maori people should follow," Mr Prime said from Patea yesterday.

"Mr James also told us that the only sadness was that Mana Motuhake itself was unable to take up its true heritage and be part of Kotahitanga for this election," Mr Prime continued, "and that while the coalition with the Alliance was once appropriate Mana Motuhake was now actually in the wrong coalition."

Dalvanius Prime is the Piri Wiri Tua candidate for Te Tai Hauauru, although yesterday he announced that in the interests of Kotahitanga he was now urging all his supporters to give their electorate vote to Ken Mair, the Mana Maori candidate.

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