The Registrar of Political Parties in Papua New Guinea, Emmanuel Pok, and today (Tuesday, June 4th) clarified the legitimacy of Finschaffen MP Rainbo Paita's recent political movements, asserting that his nomination as Alternate Prime Minister is in accordance with the constitution. “Honorable Rainbo Paita and the twelve members who have defected Pangu Pati to formally resign is fake news,” Registrar Pok stated. "Our constitution allows that because Section 50 of the Constitution gives the right to any Member of Parliament to occupy a public office, and the office of the Prime Minister is for anybody, any Papua New Guinean.” He emphasized that the matter now rests with the Pangu Pati Council to determine any disciplinary actions according to the party's constitution. The clarification comes as the Vote of No Confidence (VONC) is anticipated to be heard tomorrow (Wednesday, June 5th), challenging the Prime Minister leadership of Pangu leader and Hela MP James Marape. When refuting the circulating fake news about recent political shifts in Parliament in a short press conference today at the Registry’s office in Port Moresby, the Registrar stated clearly that such movements are a matter for elected leaders, not the Registry of Political Parties. “The Registry of Political Parties, which is the constitutional office responsible for administering political parties in Papua New Guinea, would like to put the perception straight for what's currently happening in Parliament.” Despite recent defections from Pangu Pati, he affirmed that these are internal party matters, to be resolved by the Pangu Pati Council without interference from the Registry. Highlighting Pangu Pati’s parliamentary dominance with 39 seats won in the 2022 elections, Pok reiterated that the party’s constitution will address the defections, but confirmed that Pangu numbers are now 56, making it the biggest political part still. He also explained that the Supreme Court's 2010 nullification of key sections of the Organic Law on the Integrity of Political Parties and Candidates (OLIPPAC) has shifted the regulatory landscape, leaving party constitutions to govern internal matters. This means that the defections align with these constitutional changes and are therefore legitimate, with the Registry respecting the internal decision-making processes of political parties. “Twelve important operational sections of the Organic Law were nullified by the Supreme Court - a Supreme Court reference taken out by the Western Provincial Government in 2010 - and so, important sections of the law that administers political parties are unconstitutional now.” “And so, in the situations that happened in the recent past in Parliament, the Organic Law does not apply - important sections like sections 57, 58, 59, section 60, and section 70 do not apply in this situation - so, the issues are now reverted to the political party constitution.” “And so, the social media, the fake news that has gone around referencing me and the Registry of Political Parties, telling the Honorable Rainbo Paita and the twelve members who have defected Pangu Pati to formally resign is fake.” “The elected leaders have exercised their right as elected leaders of members of Parliament to defect or move, and the constitution has upheld that, and the Supreme Court has made decisions according to that line of thinking, and so, the Organic Law does not apply in this situation, so, the move from the government to the opposition or the movement of floor was in order.” “So now, the Organic Law cannot do anything about that, as the Pangu Pati Council, according to the Pangu Pati Constitution, will make a ruling on that.” “I want to make that clear that Honorable Rainbo Paita's nomination as alternate PM is in order.”