Papua New Guinea's former prime minister Sir Mekere Morauta says the national election is being rigged under the watch of the Electoral Commissioner.
Four days into the two-week polling period, the election has become mired in allegations regarding ballot papers and a woefully inadequate electoral roll.
Yesterday, police in Port Moresby apprehended three electoral officials, one of whom was found to have a large amount of cash, and confiscated ballot papers they were allegedly mishandling.
It came hours after the Electoral Commission deferred polling in the capital to Friday, and problems around polling in the Highlands.
The Electoral Commissioner Patilias Gamato has denied allegations that his officers were involved in suspected bribery.
But a group of candidates in the capital, including Sir Mekere, have petitioned the Electoral Commissioner to resign immediately.
He told Johnny Blades that this is the most chaotic election in PNG's history.
Photo: linkedin
Transcript
MEKERE MORAUTA: Unfortunately, This chaos is an organised one. It's organised by PNC. Because PNC is likely to be wiped out in a very clean election. So it's in O'Neill's interest to create chaos and then use that chaos to return as many PNC candidates as possible. We have now caught electoral officers with loads of money and boxes in Moresby already and this is an example of what is planned to happen. As Moresby candidates we have petitioned the electoral commissioner to stand down because of his incompetence and also compromising the constitutional office.
JOHNNY BLADES: Previous elections have had some of these problems, haven't they, in terms of the electoral roll issues. Are these included in your concerns?
MM: This is more than the electoral roles. in out petitions we are saying the 2012 electoral roll would be used and the 2017 preliminary roll will be combined to be used as the electoral role.
JB: You were all demanding that electoral commissioner stand down. If he doesn't, what then?
MM: There's probably nothing we can do.
JB: Do you think there will be trouble? Obviously people are concerned about all these issues.
MM: If he's got any morals, any conscience he should stand down. Because... the evidence is already there, it's in the hands of the police now. He's the ultimate boss, he's the constitutional officer judged by the constitution to contact the elections, if it goes belly up he should go belly up too.
JB: You don't think perhaps he's just unable to control all the people in the commission? Maybe it's out of his hands?
MM: Well if you're working with O'Neill ...it's very hard for even a very good person. But he's part of the structure,. But someone needs to explain why people are carrying money around in their trucks .That's not normal, they should be paid officially by finance department or finance officer. Not electoral commissioner carrying money in their trucks, that's highly unusual. I thought he was found carrying money around. He should be prosecuted and disqualified automatically.
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