ENB ready to conduct draw of candidate numbers

 EAST New Britain will conduct its draw of candidate numbers of codes tomorrow for the two mayors’ seats for Rabaul and Kokopo, 16 rural local level government presidential seats and 357 ward councillors’ seats.

The order of draw will be held at the Vunapope Catholic Diocesan Hall in Kokopo and is expected to take the whole day.

Yesterday was set aside for intending candidates who were not enrolled on the common roll to enlist and nominate, while today will be for enrolled intending candidates wanting to pay their nomination fees.

Chairman of the provincial electoral steering committee Edward Lamur said yesterday the draw of candidate numbers or codes was delayed to tomorrow following instructions from Electoral Commissioner Andrew Trawen that the close of nominations has been rescheduled for today, at 4.06pm.

There will be 98 polling teams throughout the four districts to conduct polling, while assistant returning officer for Kokopo-Vunamami Urban LLG Thomas Nakui said the reason for not allowing images of candidates on polling posters was because there was not enough time to create all the 357 posters with images due to funding constraints.

Lamur said all other scheduled dates remained the same and further urged voters to ask questions during campaign drives.

He said this would help them find out what the intending candidates planned to do once elected into office, as this would give them a fair idea on who would best represent them in the next five years.