Aitape Lumi MP Patrick Pruaitch is the appointed alternate Prime Minister for the Opposition camp.
This was announced in a media gathering soon after the adjournment of parliament sitting on Monday as the opposition filed for a motion of no confidence against PM James Marape to the Speaker.
Alotau MP Charles Abel said he was disappointed at the turn of events in parliament as it reconvened, describing it as “frustrating the process”.
” We are doing our utmost best to follow all legal requirements”
“Unfortunately, it would seem that we are being deliberately frustrated in this process “
Abel said the government didn’t have the numbers and used what transpired on the floor to escape from being held accountable.
“We gave the government an opportunity to show its numbers”
“All they could do is shout and yell and avoid the issue”
He said the Speaker also was talking about some irrelevant legal issues.
“Even after the Supreme Court made a unanimous ruling making it quite clear to the speaker that he is obliged to allow parliament to sit, it appeared today again, another attempt to frustrate the process”
Abel said the PM keeps telling them to show their numbers and when they attempted to do so, the process had to be frustrated again.
“Why is that? It is simply because the government does not have the numbers”
“It is a minority government”
“It has lost the mandate in parliament”
“Therefore we call on the PM to resign”
The Opposition claim to have 55 MPs on their side and they are challenging the government to show their numbers on the floor of parliament.
