Four candidates contesting the Koroba Kupiago Open Seat in the Hela province are now calling on the Papua New Guinea Electoral Commissioner, Mr. Simon Siani, to order the cancelation of 12 ballot boxes that are currently in dispute.
According to one of the candidates Mr. Jonathan Aiene, the ballot boxes for the Kupiago basin were tempered with allegedly by the supporters of the incumbent member, and that denied the democratic process and the rights for the people to cast their votes for a leader of their choosing.
Mr. Aiene claimed that the boxes arrived at the polling site on July 03rd in preparation for the polling to start the next day on the 04th of July; however, he alleged that the boxes were hijacked in the evening by supporters of the member and kept in a house.
He said by the time it was morning, all the boxes were already sealed and ready to be transported to the district headquarters. This left the polling teams and the provincial election manager highly suspicious.
“I feel that this is not a good precedence for us young people coming up and going into politics, so for us to dispute these boxes is reasonable and the electoral commission must take note that those twelve boxes at Hela now does not contain votes from everyone,” said Mr. Aiene.
He said he himself did not vote, even his parents and family did not cast their votes because of the hijacking of these ballot boxes.
“I appeal to the electoral commission to stop this illegal practice because if the electoral commission doesn’t do something now, who else is going to help us to get rid of this disease?”
He said the matter has been brought forward to the Hela provincial administrator and the provincial election manager and they are aware of it and are dealing with it at their level.
Meanwhile, the candidates have also registered their complaints with the provincial election manager so this matter can be made public knowledge.
The candidates that have brought this matter forward are Mr. Kenua Ikila, Mr. Samson Peri, Mr. Allen Yalu and Mr. Aiene. They are currently in Port Moresby city to take this matter up with the Papua New Guinea Electoral Commission.