2017 National Elections

Isoaimo reached the absolute majority of 18,011, polling a total of 20,589 votes after exclusion 25.

Rival Paru Aihi of People's National Congress Party polled 15,432 as his final vote count.

Isoaimo will be officially declared by Kairuku-Hiri Returning Officer Tabu Vaira at Bomana CS this afternoon.

This will be Isoaimo's second term in Parliament.

(Loop file pic)

Shops, banks and PMV bus services in Wabag town and other districts were open to the public and are operating as normal, while counting resumed on Tuesday under tight police and defence security personnel at Wabag Primary School.

Western End police command, Chief Superintendent Mark Yengen, says more reinforcement will be sent in from Mt Hagen to beef up security operations to ensure peaceful declarations of the seats.

After exclusion 25 and the distribution of ballot papers, the final tally stands at:

The top five candidates;

It's a close race between incumbent Member and National Alliance Party's Peter Isoaimo and People’s National Congress Party candidate, Paru Aihi.

Independent candidate Steven John Manai has been eliminated after collecting 12,513 votes in the last exclusion.

Manai's votes will be distributed among the top two candidates.

Isoaimo has 18,817 votes and Aihi with 14,260 votes, with an absolute majority of 22,796 to reach.

The total ballot papers remaining in count are 45,590.

His declaration was done by Bale Kavanamur, the newly-appointed returning officer for Moresby North-West, at around midday today. Kavanamur was appointed RO this morning.

Sir Mekere ousted sitting member, Michael Malabag, who was excluded at the 33^rd elimination last night.

He thanked the electoral officials for the job well done but expressed anger and frustration at the same time for the counting process.

He said a lot of voters were denied their right to vote and choose their leader of choice, the fundamentals of democracy.

The open seat, after elimination 22 yesterday, had five boxes remaining.

The RO confirmed that this won't take long, as they will begin the process around lunch time today.

Bogia Open has also progressed into most of its boxes after completing elimination 33 yesterday.

Bogia open RO Simon Sakipa is also confident they will complete the process today.

The tally for these two open seats now stand at: 

This follows the 25th exclusion of Rufina Peter, the only remaining woman candidate.

For both remaining candidates, Agarobe leads with 40,931, while Haoda is on 34,951.

Ballot papers remaining in count are 109,103.

The absolute majority is 54,552.

A declaration is expected today.

(Loop file pic)

Candidates left in the race are incumbent Member and National Alliance Party's Peter Isoaimo, People’s Congress Party candidate Paru Aihi and Pangu Party's Steven John Manai.

After the 24th exclusion, Isoaimo maintains a comfortable lead on 18,817 votes with the absolute majority now at 22,796.

3,706 votes from Morata were distributed among the three remaining candidates, while the exhausted votes from this box were 3,694.

Results after elimination 24:

20 candidates have been eliminated. The 20th elimination was Independent candidate Jacoberth John.

The progressive tally now stands at: