The Governor General Sir Bob Dadae has gone ahead to sign all 486 writs this afternoon at the Government House in Port Moresby, officially starting off the 2022 National General Elections.
This turn of events occurred despite the PNG Electoral Commissioner Simon Sinai announcing earlier this afternoon the deferral of the elections by another week to Thursday 19th May 2022 at 4pm.
Governor General Sir Bob Dadae said the start of the 2022 National General Election was delayed for too long already, with the earlier deferral, and as such he went ahead with the current date (12th May) to sign the issue of election writs.
However, this newsroom understands that the Electoral Commissioner Mr Simon Sinai, said despite this, he will use his powers as the Electoral Commissioner to go ahead with the delay of nominations by a week until the 19th of May.
This will be done as a mark of respect to the late Deputy Prime Minister Sam Basil as per Sinai’s earlier announcement following a request from the National Executive Council to delay the election.
So the case now stands as; the GG has signed writs but the PNGEC has deferred nominations until next Thursday.
“The Electoral Commissioner is authorized by the Constitution and the Organic Law on National and Local-level Government Elections to schedule and conduct elections within a three-month period, for as long as the writs are returned on the fifth anniversary of the parliamentary term – in this case on the 29 July.”
That’s according to political scientist and independent research fellow Dr Joseph Ketan who also said, “The writs for 2022 elections MUST be returned on the same date as the last time in 2017 (29 July).”
Dr Ketan added, if the writs are not returned by 29 July this year, we have a serious problem.
“The PNGEC now has one week for nomination, 8 weeks for campaigning, one week for polling and 2 weeks for counting. The law is very clear. There is no room for error.”
“Bottom line: Constitutional Crisis if the writs for 2022 elections are not returned on July 29.”