Potape voted in as new Hela Governor

Komo-Magarima MP Francis Potape has been voted in as the new governor for Hela province after a provincial assembly meeting was conducted in Tari yesterday.

Potape was voted as governor through a majority vote of 10 members of the Hela provincial assembly out of its 14 members, says the MP and his lawyer, Philip Ame.

The move for the vote of no confidence against Anderson Agiru was finalized yesterday; one week after the motion was moved in Tari.  

This motion was moved before Agiru’s lawyers could serve the provincial assembly with a restraining order that was issued by the National Court at Waigani on the same morning of December 22, Potape and lawyer  Ame said late yesterday.  

That order was to restrain Potape and the other members of the provincial assembly conducting that meeting however it was served after the meeting had ended.

A vacancy was declared by the acting chairman of the Hela Provincial Assembly Thomas Potape (reportedly not related to MP Potape) for the governor post yesterday morning before they proceeded with the vote.

Potape said he was voted in as governor in a majority 10 members vote just before lunch time yesterday. He was sworn in as governor by a magistrate soon after.

On December 22, Agiru was notified of the vote of no confidence notice against him by Potape and the 10 members of the assembly.

The motion was based on 13 grounds of the members not having confidence in Agiru.

One of the main grounds was Agiru’s alleged inconsistency in conducting Provincial Assembly meetings four times in a year which is a requirement.

It is alleged that this year alone only one provincial assembly meeting was conducted, in January.

Meanwhile in Waigani, Potape’s lawyers succeeded in getting the restraining orders of December 22 dismissed as it had no consequences in the motion that was moved in Tari.

Acting Judge Danjo Koeget dismissed the orders of December 22 yesterday afternoon in Waigani.

The court was made aware of the vote of no confidence move against Agiru returning yesterday however it was not aware of the outcome of the meeting that took place in the morning.

The matter before the court is expected to return on January 5,2016.

Loop PNG news attempted to contact Anderson Agiru but contact phones for him were not answered.

File picture of Potape..

Author: 
Sally Pokiton