SDL Convert, 2006
The Fiji Times reported on 11 March 2006 that the ruling SDL had approached Baba with an invitation to contest the parliamentary election scheduled for 6–13 May under the SDL banner. On 18 March, the SDL announced that Baba had been approved as its candidate for the Tamavua Samabula Open Constituency. Fiji Village quoted Baba as saying that his decision to join the SDL was motivated by what he called the lack of leadership in the FLP.
FLP politicians, however, poured derision on the move. Leader Mahendra Chaudhry said that Baba was a deserter, and that the SDL must be "hard up for candidates" to have selected a man like him, while Deputy Leader Poseci Bune told the Fiji Sun that he was baffled by the turn of events. "He used to be a liberal left winger but now he is back to nationalist. SDL must be desperate for candidates," he surmised. Fijian Political Party (SVT) General Secretary Ema Druavesi also expressed disappointment with Baba's decision, saying he had joined a party lacking "the character of a good leadership."
The Fiji Times quoted Baba on 20 March as saying that the SDL was "the only alternative for Fiji moving forward." He praised its success in reviving the economy; he conceded that some of its legislation was controversial, but saw it as an attempt to move the country forward. He still considered himself a liberal and a socialist, he said, but insisted that had to be seen in the multiracial context of Fiji. His former party, the FLP, gave mere lip service to multiracialism, he charged. "I have responded to the request of the SDL party according to the mood of politics because I am fed up of confrontational and negative politics," he said.
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