2017 National Elections

Members of the coalition parties are abandoning their parties and joining the ruling party Peoples National Congress to form the next government.

One of such parties is the Enga Governor Sir Peter Ipatas’ People’s Party.

Sir Peter relinquished the party leadership to Jiwaka Governor Dr William Tongamp.

In a statement, Sir Peter indicated his intentions to contest under the PNC banner.

He said as a senior Highlands leader, I have an obligation to maintain the successful leadership in Government of Prime Minister Peter O’Neill.

Their lands have been taken away from them and their villages lack basic services, among other things. This will and must stop!

This was the main message to more than a thousand people gathered on Wednesday evening at Gabi village, Hanuabada, to witness the first rally of Moresby north-west candidate Russel Simon Wavik.

Wavik is running under the People’s Progress Party banner.

The message was clear, it was time for the people to choose a person they believe would lead them to fight for their livelihood.

At the moment, Malalaua station is inundated by flood water caused by heavy downpour and over-swelling of main river systems.

Woman candidate running for Gulf Regional Seat, Maso Raka, says it is a great challenge, one of which she cannot do herself and that she is not ashamed to say that Gulf Province is the least developed in the country.

“My vision is to work with non- government organisations and people who are specialised in mitigating loss that rise from climate change.”

Isoaimo will be recontesting his seat under the National Alliance banner and will be running against former MP and PNC man Paru Aihi.

Lone woman candidate Parte Kwalimu is also in the case for the seat, running as Independent candidate with 11 others.

Draws have been done and the table below shows your candidates and the ballot box numbers they have been allocated this election.

The two-term parliamentarian and People’s National Congress member will face Governor Gary Juffa and 29 other candidates in the June National Election polls.      

Juffa is also the party leader of the People's Movement for Change party.

“I guess this is the million dollar question, everyone will be asking why I switched from the Open seat to the Regional seat,” Arore said in an interview yesterday.  

“I decided that, I will make my shift after being in the government and politics for 10 years.

PNG Electoral Commission media officer, Alphonse Muapi, yesterday said: “Electoral Commissioner has released the updated candidate nomination figures today (Sunday), which stand at 3,332 candidates who will contest for the 22 provincial and 89 open seats.”

The one week nomination for intending candidates for the 2017 National Election ended on April 20, with a slight drop in candidate numbers.

“In 2012, a total of 3,344 candidates nominated but one died during the campaign period leaving 3,343 who contested,” Muapi said.  

Polye said there is no need for him to campaign in the district. 

He was speaking to his people at Kalimaga village in Enga Province on Wednesday.

He said he had a huge task to campaign for his Triumph Heritage Empowerment party's, 90 candidates endorsed to contest for the 111 seats in Parliament. 

Polye is confident his party will win the most seats and form the next government.

"You (people) are fighting a battle with the people of Ialibu-Pangia (electorate of Prime Minister Peter O’Neill)," he told a cheering crowd.