Abel maintains lead in Alotau open

By LESLIE OMARO
PEOPLE’S National Congress party candidate Charles Abel has increased his lead in the race for the Alotau open seat, with 5,779 votes after count 13 last night.
The sitting member ran away from his nearest rival after collecting 168 votes from the Marematana local level government to increase his overnight lead of 5,611 votes.
Abel is one of 89 candidates running under the PNC banner, with the party already winning the Ialibu-Pangia open and Manus regional seats.
Its winning candidates are Prime Minister Peter O’Neill, who was declared last Saturday, and former Manus governor Charlie Benjamin, who was declared on Tuesday after winning by 8,155 votes.
Abel is the hot favourite to retain his seat after maintaining his lead since counting started in the sleepy town in the East.Lisia Illaibeni is in second place with 1,475 votes, forcing William Tilipu into fourth place with 1,052.
Allan Bahiyama slipped into third place with 1,366 votes and Jimmy Maladina is in fifth place on 956 votes.
Returning officer Thomas Pilai said Alotau open had 31 boxes, with 13 already counted.
He said despite a minor hiccup early this week when scrutineers petitioned him to recount boxes 1 to 6 from the Suau LLG, counting resumed the following day and was progressing well.
In the regional race, sitting MP and PNC candidate John Luke Crittin is leading following count 22 with 5,558 votes.In second place is PNG party candidate Robert Igara on 4396 votes.
In third and fourth place respectively are former governors Titus Philemon with 4,313 votes and Timothy Neville on 3,408.
Independent candidate Tobby Awaiti is in fifth place with 1347 votes.
Kiriwina-Goodenough has completed its primary counts and went into its elimination count yesterday.
After elimination count five, National Alliance Party candidate Leonard Louma leads with 4398 votes, followed by T.H.E party candidate Douglas Tomuriesa on 4071 and Ronnie Kaitolele in third place with 2723 votes.