Electoral Commissioner Patilias Gamato has clarified confusions with the Jiwaka Provincial Returning Officer as claimed by some intending candidates.
The intending candidates claimed that the Provincial Returning Officer Rossie Pandihau had been changed by Deputy Administrator Stefan Husik at the 11th hour.
They are claiming that the new PRO could not have been gazetted and so there is a question of whether or not any decision he makes, such as accepting nominations of intending candidates is legally binding.
However, Gamato clarified that the changes were not made at the 11th hour as the changes were made on March 30, 2017.
Gamato told Loop PNG that Jiwaka needed a male officer to coordinate and support Pandihau who is a female election manager.
File pix.