2017 National Elections

​3 from 2012 elections contesting Bougainville Provincial

Joe Lera, the sitting MP, as well as Kapeatu Puaria and Jimmy Mose are the only three candidates from the 2012 elections to vie for the seat again.

Puaria finished fourth while Mose finished 11th out of 13 candidates.

The runners up to Lera in 2012, Ishmael Toroama (2nd) and Fidelis Semoso (3rd), have not nominated to contest, as well as 10 others.

​Five women vie for B’ville seats

The five women are contesting the three open seats while the regional seat is being vied for by nine men.

In Central Bougainville, two women, running as independents, are pitted against 19 men.  They are Gloria Terikian and Lynette Ona.

Another two are going up against 29 men for the North Bougainville seat. Rachel Konaka is running as an independent while Elizabeth Burain is contesting under the People’s Progress Party (PPP) banner.

​Ballot papers arrive in 9 provinces

Electoral Commissioner Patilias Gamato confirmed with Loop PNG that the distribution exercise started on Saturday, two weeks before polling for the 2017 National Election starts.    

“All polling materials dispatched to all provinces. Sensitive materials like ballot papers, ink rolls, candidate posters started going out on Saturday,” Gamato said.  

He confirmed the provinces are Manus, Bougainville, Sandaun, East Sepik, Oro, Milne Bay, Western, Morobe and Madang.

Gamato said the Australian Defence Force is helping airlift the materials to each province.

​Kokopo arrests: NA denies social media report

NA Party General Secretary, Joyce Grant, today told Loop PNG that the report on social media is untrue.

“We do not print ballot papers,” Grant said.

She said the materials confiscated were posters and scrutineer forms for Walter Schnaubelt, NA Party endorsed candidate for Namatanai Open in New Ireland Province.

“I was the one who sent the materials as the party administrator.”   

But she confirmed that of the 40 people brought into Kokopo Police Station on Sunday, none were charged after being questioned.

Official candidate listing for West Sepik

Among them are five females; Mary Tarp Lane and Fredah Wantum are contesting for the Telefomin Open seat, Carol Mayo, Vanimo – Green River and Florence Saki and Julie Kevin Moide for the Provincial seat.

Below is the full listing of candidates for West Sepik Province.

 AITAPE-LUMI OPEN

10 GODFRID SOLMU

19 EDDIE SAWENI

 

11 CANISIUS KAPU

 

Polye untroubled by O’Neill visiting Kandep

Thirty- one candidates have nominated to contest the open seat in Enga Province.

Polye, who had been on a nationwide campaign trail for his Triumph Heritage Empowerment (THE) Party candidates, is beaming with confidence.

He said, he will make history by winning with an absolute majority in the primary count by 30,000 votes.

In 2012, he was returned to Parliament after reaching an absolute majority in the primary count, with a difference of 13, 000 votes from his nearest rival.

3, 340 candidates running for 111 seat Parliament

According to statistics officially released by the PNG Electoral Commission, there are 3, 340 candidates vying for the 111 seats in Papua New Guinea’s National Parliament, 167 are females and 3,168 are males,  

The Highlands Region have seen 1, 320 candidates nominated to contest, followed by Momase - 870, Southern – 819 and New Guinea Highlands – 331.

Meanwhile, Southern Region tops the list with more female candidates contesting with 59, Highlands – 49, Momase – 42 and NGI – 17.

Election awareness underway in Enga

The awareness is focused on the process of how to vote and also to educate people on the separate polling booths for men and women.

Enga election manager, Anton Iamau, explained that the awareness educates the public on the right to vote as well.

Iamau confirmed that they have received materials from the PNG Electoral Commission (PNGEC) and officials are carrying out awareness to all communities in the province.

VIDEO: Candidate dies in Simbu

Unconfirmed reports that have reached the office of the Provincial Electoral Office say Mr Kale Kua collapsed and died while on a campaign trail in the Karamui Nomane Electorate.  

 

More from Charmaine Poriambep.

 

 

PNGDF deployment clarified

Each of the units that will be deployed out, according to the Joint Operation Forces Commander, Colonel Ezekia Wenzel, will fall under the effective command of the respective police bosses.

He explains that the troops will also be called out to high risk areas that anticipate trouble during the election period.

Colonel Wenzel also confirmed the deployment of 20 troops to assist with law and order issues in Madang Province.

He says this will be on the joint request of the Madang provincial command and the Madang provincial government.