Fijian PM struggles to maintain top spot

Fiji's Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama has managed to pull ahead of his opponent Sitiveni Rabuka but is struggling to get enough votes to maintain power.

Bainimarama's FijiFirst party is commanding nearly 45 per cent of the vote while Rabuka's People's Alliance is attracting just over a third with over a quarter of polling booths processed.

But a coalition between People's Alliance and the minor National Federation Party (NFP) - sitting at just under 10 per cent of the vote - could be enough to topple Bainimarama with proportional representation used in Fiji's unicameral parliament.

Ballot counting for the Fijian election continues through the night with provisional results expected by early Thursday morning. 

But a close race means a final declaration could be delayed until Sunday.

Bainimarama's majority from the 2018 election sat at just 50.02 per cent after falling from nearly 60 per cent in 2014.

Bainimarama instigated the 2006 coup and was installed as prime minister the year after before leading FijiFirst to majority government at the 2014 and 2018 democratic elections.

Rabuka heads People's Alliance and is a former prime minister who instigated a coup in 1987 before bringing back democratic elections in 1992 and led the country through to 1999.

Rabuka expressed doubt Bainimarama would accept defeat.

But he said there was little prospect of a coup, even if Bainimarama decided to contest the result, after Fiji's military commander told his soldiers to respect the outcome of the election and said anything less would be an affront to democracy.

The Pacific nation has been marred by four coups since it gained independence in 1970.

"I accepted my defeat in 1999 and I hope he can do that," Rabuka said.

"We cannot live forever. We cannot rule forever. A successor from an opposition party should be accepted. It is a normal process in democratic systems."

Bainimarama said he would "of course" respect the outcome of the democratic election when he cast his vote but concerns over a possible coup remain in a nation marred by takeovers.

However, some voters remain concerned about potential repercussions if they speak out against the government.

One, who gave his name as Jack, told AAP he wanted a change in government but both frontrunners were coup leaders.

"I want a change in government but when we are given a choice between two thieves, what hope is there for the future?" the 50-year-old said.

People's Alliance party is working with the smaller NFP to expel the incumbent FijiFirst government.

FijiFirst is trying to tie Rabuka to policies he enacted when he took power in 1987 that sought to empower indigenous Fijians.

Bainimarama says Rabuka hasn't changed and voting for him would endanger the equality of Indo-Fijians, the descendants of indentured Indian workers.

It's a message that resonated with Nemani who told AAP he voted for Bainimarama because he believed all Fijians are equal.

"I'm FijiFirst because he never separated people," he said.

"We are one people. I don't want to go back to before."

Rabuka has apologised for his coup, saying he's a changed man. 

He's hopeful a coalition with the NFP, lead by Indo-Fijian Biman Prasad, with help build trust with the Indo-Fijian community.

Bainimarama and FijiFirst are running on their record during the COVID-19 pandemic and a strong economy.

Economic growth is set to reach double digits for this year and sits at about 8.5 per cent next year, putting it first and third for growth in the region according to the Asian Development Bank.

But Prasad questioned where the economic gains have gone, arguing Fijians are still no better off financially.

About one quarter of Fijians live in poverty and this jumps to more than 40 per cent in rural regions.

Cost of living pressures are also biting with inflation eclipsing five per cent and the price of food more than doubling.

This article was made possible through the Melbourne Press Club's Michael Gordon Journalism Fellowship Program.