Abel returns in landslide victory

RE-ELECTED Alotau open member Charles Abel, who won a landslide victory, has thanked the people of Alotau for voting him back to continue developing the town and the seven local level governments.
The PNC Party candidate was declared winner by returning officer Thomas Pilai at 6.20pm on Wednesday.
Abel finished with 15,071 votes, 12,000 clear of his nearest rival, Lisia Illabeni, who polled 3,804 votes.
United Resource Party candidate Peter Boebna finished third with 3,058 votes.
Abel, who will be serving his second term in parliament, told his supporters it was no mistake that he had been re-elected.
He said it was because the people wanted him to continue improving services in their wards and LLGs and continue developing the Milne Bay capital.
He encouraged his rival candidates to work with him for the betterment of Alotau.
He said the people had spoken because they had seen what he had done during his first five years in office and they wanted him to continue the good work.
“Thanks for all the nice remarks … I’m energised by this win and even more determined to help improve the lives of our people,” Abel said.
“I have been clearly instructed to keep working and I only know one speed,” Abel wrote on his Facebook page.
Soon after he was declared the member-elect for Alotau, Abel’s Facebook page started receiving congratulatory messages from all over PNG.