PNG comedian, Alphonse Dirau, known as Kanage, is contesting the Madang Regional Seat challenging sitting governor, Sir Peter Yama.
He says it is worth a try for the 2022 elections and nominated last Thursday. Dirau and is among 40 other candidates.
Dirau is among big names like two former Madang governors, James Yali and Jim Kas, former Defense Force commander, Jerry Singirok, who is contesting under the PANGU Pati.
Four women are also in for the race for Madang’s top seat.
Madang Election Manager, Sponsa Navi raised concern that with the introduction of social media the supporters of each candidates must be careful when campaigning on social media.
He said the words used on any social media posts could provoke supporters to cause trouble.
“In the past when there was no social media supporters of candidates travel from one location to another to campaign and convince the people to vote for them. Today life has changed and there are good and bad sides of using social media platforms to do campaigns,” Navi said.
He said he had received reports of supporters of one candidate sending threats to another on social media, which is not good.
Navi said the supporters must know that there are laws in place to penalize people who do that, so they must campaign professionally.
He hopes for Madang Province to see a peaceful election, because the nomination and the few days of campaign was peaceful and he has urged Madang people to maintain this.
Navi reiterated that the candidates must talk to their supporters to support in a peaceful way.
“Election will come and go and the people of Madang will still remain the people of Madang where they are connected through family ties.”