Disgruntled candidates in NCD were in great spirits this afternoon after meeting with the Electoral Commissioner, Patilias Gamato.
The candidates who presented a second petition today left the EC Headquarters after Gamato had responded positively to several concerns they raised in their petition.
At 3pm this afternoon, candidates led by NCD Regional contenders Noel Anjo, Jami Maxtone Graham, Andy Bawa, and Moresby North-East nominee John Kaupa, fronted up to the EC office demanding their petition demands be met by 4:06 pm.
Despite the hour deadline, several candidates took their turns grilling Gamato over what they viewed was an unorganized and administratively flawed election.
Some of the demands included that the NCD Election Manager, Terence Hetinu, and his assistant be sidelined following their detainment by police, and all ballot papers be accounted for.
Gamato however announced that Hetinu and his assistant, Roslyn Tabogani another polling official, were to be replaced by two new election managers.
He said the new NCD Election Manager, Alvin Jimmy, has already begun the process of rectifying potential misconceptions and suspicions.
This will include an open reconciliation of all ballot papers before the candidates and their scrutinizers tomorrow.as well as pre-counting of ballots papers.
Other announcements received well by the candidates include:
- All votes casted on Tuesday will be discounted;
- Police to continue to deal with suspected foul play by election officials;
- Deputy Electoral Commissioner, John Kalamoroh, to be closely involved with the Election Advisory Team
- 2012 and 2017 Preliminary Electoral Roll, and 2017 Rolls to be used to cast votes.
The candidates left the EC office satisfied with the response saying they will now prepare for polling on Friday.