Nationalist Party deputy leader Robert Arrigo has urged Bernard Grech to back out of the race to become leader, saying he would even offer the lawyer his role in exchange for him stepping away. 

In an interview on F Living, Arrigo said that the upcoming leadership election, which Grech and PN leader Adrian Delia are contesting, risks doing the party more harm than good.  

He said that it was not too late to stop the election and said he would be willing to step aside to allow Grech to become Delia's deputy. 

"I believe that two people who love the party this much should be able to work together. We need to work together. We can talk a lot about unity but people need to want unity for it to truly exist," Arrigo said. 

The veteran MP had announced in March he had decided to stay on as PN deputy leader, backtracking on his earlier decision to resign. He said at the time that the coronavirus had made him re-think some things. 

He has repeatedly insisted his decisions are always taken with the party's best interests in mind. 

The leadership election is likely to be held in early October as due diligence process, examining Delia and his challenger, seems to still have some way to run.

Polling will be held between a Wednesday and a Saturday to avoid crowds as a precautionary health measure, while the preceding Wednesday and Friday will be dedicated to early voting. The commission is planning to have a polling station set up at each of the 13 electoral districts.