Transcript
The Electoral Commission has yet to explain the apparent rush to have writs returned when in previous elections the deadline has been extended for weeks.
But the leader of the People's National Congress, or PNC, party Peter O'Neill appears to be a man in a hurry to be prime minister again.
He has issued a joint statement with leaders of smaller parties, the People's Progress Party, the United Resources Party and the Social Democrats Party announcing the formation of a coalition aiming to govern.
On their current track, these parties would still have less than the majority and would rely on independent MPs joining them for the scheduled vote for prime minister in parliament next week.
One of the URP's new MPs-elect, Gazelle's Jelta Wong, admitted a lot of rumours are flying around at present.
"I don't like to say everything is a done deal. You never know. People have their own minds. All our electorates are all different When it comes down to the crunch, it's every member's decision, and we'll see which way everybody goes."
The PNC has set up camp in Alotau where it has invited MPs-elect to join coalition talks.
The Governor of Oro province, Gary Juffa, who was declared earlier this week, said the announcement from the PNC leader was a marketing strategy amid the lobbying of MPs.
"It's a marketing ploy basically to draw numbers, especially from the independents, to suggest that there is progress, that there is movement there and that that camp is the camp that will be moving into government. But the reality is that there are not that many people in Alotau. Even PNC members have not all flocked there. Some have refused to go. Some are under pressure from their own supporters who are basically demanding that they leave that camp or not go there at all."
Among the Social Democrats Party's three members is a first-time MP for the Central Bougainville seat.
Asked whether his constituents would agree with him being in a coalition with the PNC, Father Simon Dumarina said ultimately voters entrusted him to make the right decisions to advance Bougainville's interests.
"It's good to work from inside... from the inside out, so we can be more effective, rather than isolating myself out there, over there, it's good to be part of the team. Then we help each other in order to do something helpful for the people of Bougainville."
But with vote counting still delayed in various electorates, it's likely a number of seats will not be declared by the time parliament sits on Monday, something Gary Juffa says poses serious questions.
"Is that deliberate or not? What happens then? It's the type of chaos that has never occurred in the past, a reflection of the most terribly managed elections in the history of Papua New Guinea."
If it proceeds without a number of MPs present, next week's parliamentary vote for prime minister could be in danger of lacking legitimacy.
