Rigo sitting MP Lekwa Gure is petitioning to change the counting venue for Rigo Open election.
Central Province Election Manager, Peter Malaifeope said counting venue will be at Bomana Training College and Murray Barracks for security reasons.
“Counting process is basically the same, it’s just that we have relocated some of the counting of the open electorates to Port Moresby for security reasons. Counting will be held in two locations, one at Murray Barracks and the other at Bomana Training College. We will have Goilala and Abau up at Bomana and the electorates such as Hiri/Koiari, Kairuku and others also at Murray Barracks. We are going to count LLG at a time, so that we will move faster,” said Malaifeope.
Gure said he petitioned the Electoral Commissioner in writing, on Monday 4th July, 2022. He wants the venue to be at the district headquarters in Kwikila.
“I emailed to him and hard copies were dropped off as well as the Election Manager for Central Province, Peter Malaifeope, Returning Officer for Rigo District Murray Konido, and the Provincial Administrator Francis Koaba,” said Gure.
He said counting of ballot papers for Rigo have always taken place at Kwikila district headquarters and without issue. Gure said another candidate for Rigo Open petitioned the counting venue and collected signatures from other candidates.
“The polling has gone really well and the counting will be completed on Tuesday and we expect the counting to be relatively peaceful. One of the main reasons why we want the counting to be done at Kwikila. Whoever the winner is, we want the declaration to be done in the presence of our Rigo people.”
“We would understand if there were security issues involved but as far as we are concerned there are no security issues. We have never had problems there,” he said.