Several candidates contesting the National Capital District Regional seat in the 2022 National General Elections have called on the Electoral Commission to immediately remove the appointment of NCD assistant Election Manager and the Chairman and deputy Chairman of NCD Election Steering Committee.
In a press conference yesterday candidates Michael Kandiu, Steven Kilage and Sylvia Pascoe raised concerns, saying there is no impartiality and fairness in these appointments.
Mr Kandiu said these issues happened in the 2017 National General Elections and they do not want this to repeat.
“Me and the other candidates here wrote to the Electoral Commissioner Simon Sinai last month to rectify these issues and not to make the same appointments however in the gazettal notice, this guys are being appointed just last week.
“The 2017 Assistant Election Manager was found to carry 2017 ballot papers in her car and police apprehended her and kept her in the police station and was sidelined.”
She is now again engaged as the election assistant manager, we do not want someone with a questionable character to conduct elections.”
“Also the NCD Election Steering Committee is comprised of NCD City Manager Ravu Frank as the Chairman and his deputy is Moresby South District Development Authority Chief Executive Officer who are both working under the current city MPs in Powes Parkop and Justin Tkatchenko.”
“So why? This is not impartial, we should have neutral people conducting the election.”
The candidates further said their letter were not addressed and they had received no feedback on this from Mr Sinai even though they had consulted his office.
They called on the Electoral Commission to immediately remove these appointments and will front up at the Electoral Commission office with their supporters next Monday if that is not done so.
Meanwhile Mr Sinai earlier in the week said the appointments were done in consideration of the experience of these officers and people must respect the Electoral Commission as the constitutional office to make such appointments.