Vanimo harbour, West Sepik province, Papua New Guinea. Photo: RNZ / Johnny Blades
The recently elected Governor of Papua New Guinea's West Sepik, or Sandaun, province says there is no question that he holds the position.
Last month Amkat Mai won back the Sandaun governorship in a by-election after the seat was vacant for two years following a 2013 Supreme Court ruling that his election win the previous year was invalid.
However the Vanimo Green MP, Belden Namah, who was elected by the province's local level government leaders to fill the vacant seat in the interim, maintains that he will continue to act as Governor.
Local Government Council, Vanimo, West Sepik. Photo: RNZI / Johnny Blades
Following a recent government order to vacate the position, Mr Namah challenged it to take him to court, saying that after the provincial assembly vote, he remains the legitimate governor and that the winner of the by-election is simply the regional member.
But Mr Mai rejects this stance because the by-election was ordered by the Supreme Court...
"For the electoral commission to elect a new governor. So the position of governor of West Sepik, there was a vacancy and the vacancy was only temporary. So for the sake of good governance and leadership, Belden Namah should humble himself and give way, and he should not go back to the court, because the court will say: we ordered the by-election, why are you coming back to court?"
Amkat Nai says however he made a concerted effort to make peace with Belden Namah's local supporters and that he was able to move into the Governor's office in Vanimo without incident.
