Sidiq Koya was more willing to compromise than his predecessor, and he was instrumental in persuading his party and his people to accept independence with a communal franchise.

Sidiq Khoja was born in Ba District to a prominent Muslim Indo-Fijian Malabar Muslims-family, whose parents emigrated from the Indian state of Kerala.

Koya has six grandchildren, Aleisha, Benjamin, Elizabeth, Zane, Akif and Farhaan who now reside in Australia, Canada and Fiji.

He adopted a conciliatory style of leadership and soon had an agreement with the leader of the Alliance Party, Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, for independence for Fiji.

(Koya and his people did not oppose the changes but suggested the party abstain and thus defeat the bill, which required a 75% majority to help it to pass.)

Koya led his National Federation Party (NFP) to a narrow victory, and would have become Prime Minister, but internal party strife resulted in the Governor General, Ratu Sir George Cakobau, calling on the defeated Prime Minister, Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, to form a new government.

The governor General was concerned that Sakeasi Butadroka, the Fijian leader who destroyed Mara's majority by splitting 25% of the Fijian votes, would fulfil his promise made 7 April 1977 at the Old Suva Town Hall in his midday speech that if an Indian was elected Prime Minister Blood would flow.

The Governor General who has asked the NFP to form government then changed his mind and appointed Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara as the Prime minister.

There was no internal strife as Koya and his Parliamentary Caucus spent Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday pleading to Ratu Mara to form a coalition government and to remain Prime Minister.

[citation needed] Koya had been opposed in the election by R. D. Patel, brother of the late leader of NFP and had won by a narrow margin.

It is also often rumored that Koya had been backstabbed by his own party members who formed the flower faction on the basis that they did not want a muslim as the Prime Minister.