Intending candidates for Kompiam-Ambum Open in Enga Province are disputing the appointment of the district’s returning officer, claiming conflict of interest.
The intending candidates came to Wabag town on Friday to advise the provincial Electoral Commission office of their intention to protest the appointment.
Lukas Neah, who contested the 2007, 2012 and 2017 elections, highlighted that the same returning officer was named in the 2012 election petition, and was the reason behind their 2017 protest and petition to the election steering committee.
“We have written several letters; we have a big file which is with us and we will present to the Electoral Commission regarding the appointment of the returning officer,” he said.
“Now, the Electoral Commission saw fit to appoint the same person to run the 2022 election. How fair is the Electoral Commission?
“We did not take up the 2017 election petition to the court because we saw what exactly happened in the 2012 election petition. We tried everything, but it did not work.”
Chan Evara contested the 2012 election, where he came fifth, while he was the runner-up in the 2017 general elections.
Evara raised concern on the recruitment of presiding officers, saying in the last election, their identities were not known until the start of counting.
“And the recruitment of presiding officers; most of them were relatives and most were non-public servants,” he stated. “I think public servants are supposed to run the election. But it happened that in 2012 and 2017, non-public servants were recruited as presiding officers.”
The intending candidates and their supporters will be staging a protest in Wabag town on Monday to pressure the Electoral Commission into appointing a neutral person.
“If it means to take the whole week for protest, we will do so until and unless the returning officer is replaced with a neutral person.”
On Wednesday, the people of Hagen Central protested the appointment of their returning officer, which led to the one-day closure of the Kagamuga International Airport.
On Thursday, Wabag Open candidates petition the election manager to change the district’s returning officer, who they say is a relative of the sitting MP.
The candidates of Wabag and Kompiam-Ambum suggest that the Electoral Commission should consider swapping the ROs from each district to avoid wantok system and vote rigging.
Enga’s election manager, Anton Iamau, explained that only the Electoral Commissioner has the power to make and revoke appointments.
“I have no powers to appoint, replace or swap ROs; it is the Commissioner’s call. That was what I said to the intending candidates of Wabag Open, and the same message I’m giving to Kompiam-Ambum intending candidates.”
Iamau said he will accept their petition and forward to the Commissioner.
“I won’t make recommendations because I have no power to recommend.
“If I am making recommendations, that means I am telling the Commissioner ‘Oh you’ve done this wrongly’.”
Electoral Commissioner, Simon Sinai, is yet to respond to the situation in Enga Province.