OPPOSITION Leader Belden Namah’s claims the mid-year election was a failure have received some backing, with a winning candidate in East Sepik unseated by the Court of Disputed Returns for being too young and not on the electoral roll.

People’s Progress Party candidate Ezekiel Anisi won the Ambunti-Dreikikir Open seat by a fairly solid margin, but second-place getter Tony Aimo successfully challenged this victory in court.
 

According to the ABC, Judge John Kawi ruled that Anisi’s submitted birth certificate was doctored to show he was 25, the minimum age required, when he was 23.

Anisi was also not on the electoral roll, giving National Alliance party candidate Aimo a successful appeal on two counts.

Aimo reportedly spent 100,000 kina to fight the case.

Namah told parliament this week the 2012 election was a complete disaster and questioned why generic ballot papers were illegally printed.

“I have copies of letters from the Chief Electoral Commissioner directing the government printer to print generic ballot papers and I also have copies of these generic ballot papers,” he said.

“I demand an answer from the Prime Minister or his chief electoral commissioner.”

He also commented on the disarray, which denied “thousands of people” their constitutional right to vote.

“Election officials were ill prepared, resulting in numerous errors and omissions. Poor security preparations resulted in many illegal activities, including hijacking and illegal polling, particularly in the highlands areas, by election officials.

“The record number of election disputes, 108 in total that have been filed, will no doubt provide real insights into all the despicable things that happened during the election period.”

Industry News PNG