Ahi nominations closed before extension notice

 By ELLEN TIAMU

NOMINATIONS for the Ahi rural local level government seats were closed at 4pm on Wednesday because news of the extension to today was received late.

Assistant returning officer Daniel Wasinak said he decided to stick with the original schedule because word of the extension came too late.

“We are not sure if the decision to extend has been gazetted, so to be on the safe side, we decided to close nominations on Wednesday afternoon,” he said. 

The Ahi rural local level government is on the outskirts of Lae.

Electoral Commissioner Andrew Trawen announced on Wednesday afternoon that a two-day extension had been granted following concerns by election officials and candidates that the public holiday on Monday had not allowed them enough time to meet the deadline.

Nominations will end at 4pm today.

The Ahi rural LLG has 17 wards, the highest number in Lae district. 35 nominations have been received for the president’s seat and 159 for the ward councils.

Wasinak said six women had entered with one nominated for Ahi rural LLG president.  

Meanwhile, nominations for the Lae urban LLG were reopened yesterday after they were closed on Wednesday afternoon.

Assistant Returning Officer Smith Benny said they did not know at that time of the decision to extend the nomination period.

Two people filed their nomination papers yesterday.