His political career in Tonga led him to be labelled "the most detested man in the kingdom", and rumours consistently associated him with corruption, nepotism, intimidation, abuse of power and indifference to legal process.
In 1996 Pohiva and two Times of Tonga journalists, Kalafi Moala and Filokalafi 'Akauola, were found guilty by the Tongan Parliament of Contempt of Parliament, in a matter relating to then Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Lord Tevita Tupou published publicly by the Times, causing them to be jailed for 30 days.
[13] In 1996 he ordered the police to visit Falisi Tupou for writing a letter to a newspaper that was critical of Edwards' contradictory viewpoints.
[14] In 2004 Edwards was sacked from Cabinet by Prime Minister Ulukālala Lavaka Ata after the collapse of Royal Tongan Airlines.
However, he was subsequently elected as a People's Representative for Tongatapu in a by-election following the appointment of Feleti Sevele to Cabinet.
[18][19] As a people's representative, Edwards advocated democratic reform,[20] and criticised the practice of appointing MPs to cabinet, arguing that it was a way for the government to silence its critics.
Following the election, he was appointed to Cabinet as a minister outside the legislature, holding the portfolios of public enterprise and revenue services.