Prime Minister Hon. James Marape has called on all Papua New Guineans to accept today’s Supreme Court ruling in favor of Ialibu-Pangia MP Peter O’Neill.
He also asserted that there was no vacancy for the position of Prime Minister he was holding.
Prime Minister Marape said this immediately after today’s Supreme Court ruling.
“Today, our Supreme Court made its ruling on the matter Hon. Peter O’Neill filed,” he said.
“I appeal to our citizens to respect the ruling of the High Court of our country in favor of Hon. O’Neill’s Supreme Court reference.
“Our country’s judiciary is the better arm of government – a fair place where any aggrieved person or parties can seek redress.
“Let us protect our judiciary and refrain from unnecessarily making our own interpretations and inferences on our judiciary.
“Let us all continue to protect and respect our judiciary.”
Prime Minister Marape said every leader and political party had the right to bid for prime ministership “and this play in parliament is nothing but a bid for someone to be PM”.
“In fact, over the last 18 months, I have been managing politics and the associated court cases that were running until this political upheaval,” he said.
“Despite the unsettling political climate, there is no vacancy in the Office of Prime Minister.
“The Executive Government is in place doing its work until proper parliamentary processes affirm or denounce my Prime Ministership.”
Prime Minister Marape appealed to all citizens, public servants and business houses not to get caught up in the current political fiasco.
“ Let politicians manage politics,” he said.
“To my colleagues in Opposition: I appreciate your right to be in Government and when the time is set, we will test the numbers on the floor of Parliament.
“I am not going to resign just because one or two Opposition politicians have called on me to do so.
“There are no grounds for that.
“You (Opposition) claim you have the majority, please produce that majority on the floor of Parliament where it matters most and not in locked-up hotels.
“In the meantime, I am blessed in my life to have 55 Members of Parliament who continue to give me their personal and people’s support.
“These 55 MPs and other leaders I know, are leaders whose souls cannot be bought or sold
“I am proud to associate myself with this class of leaders.
“So bring your vote-of-no -confidence motion on, name our country’s alternate PM and let’s go on dealing with this matter, so our people can see who is our alternative PM.
“At least the country deserves to know who is the alternate PM.
“Why keep it a secret, even from your own 55 Members of Parliament.”
Prime Minister Marape appealed to all Papua New Guineans to refrain from personal attacks on politicians.
“To our people, please refrain from personalising politics of politicians,” he said.
“Let’s maintain calm and peace right around our country.
“Prime Ministership is not my birthright, we will go through the correct process.
“In the meantime, let’s allow our courts and Parliament to do their functions and you citizens) can do yours in 2022 when the country goes to general elections.