I never voted against the illegal removal of former Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare in 2011, says National Alliance (NA) Parliamentary leader Patrick Pruaitch.
“I was the only one in the Government to vote against putting Peter O’Neill as Prime Minister,” Pruaitch told Loop PNG.
He said the Supreme Court had upheld the decision that the removal of former NA party leader as prime minister when he was overseas for medical treatment was illegal.
Pruaitch told Loop PNG that Opposition Leader Don Poyle was the power broker back then.
“He left the (NA) party, and got the majority of National Alliance MPs from the Highlands and New Guinea Islands Region to form the current government, “Pruaitch said.
He said the statements by Polye of blaming him of the down fall of the NA Party two term rule was “incorrect and misleading”.
Pruaitch said over K500 million disappeared from the Trust Account after the NA led coalition was removed.
The Opposition Leader in a statement blamed the current National Alliance Party leader for the fall of Somare regime.
"When Grand Chief Sir Michael Thomas Somare was hospitalised for heart surgery in Singapore then, all the funds parked in several trust accounts were slowly disappearing,” Polye said.
"A kitchen cabinet led by Pruaitch was responsible for these missing funds. He, as the Treasurer, was a signatory to all the trust accounts.
Polye stated that he did not only leave NA to protect the funds from further exploitation, but also lodged complaints with relevant authorities
"My hopes for saving the country under the new Prime Minister, which we put in place, also ran dry.
"Prime Minister Peter O'Neill has misused the trust, confidence and mandate we gave him to lead the country. He has championed corruption. He destroyed the fabrics of the country.
“He destroyed our democracy, economy, rule of law and governance systems, amongst others."
Polye said that was why he defected from the government and joined the Opposition.