Basil retains his seat with 26,184 votes

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By JUNIOR UKAHA
INCUMBENT Bulolo MP Sam Basil retained his seat with a resounding victory, polling 26,184 votes on primary counts yesterday.
Basil polled 3970 more than the absolute majority–22,214.
He was declared by returning officer Raune Jombert at the St Peter’s Primary School hall witnessed by MP-elect for Markham and fellow Pangu Pati candidate Koni Iguan, who was declared hours earlier.
Basil’s nearest rival Rex Mauri polled 2,508.  Basil, the parliamentary leader of Pangu Pati, told supporters that his victory was a clean win and was a testament of the work he was doing in the district as MP.
“I would like to thank the people of Bulolo for returning me for another five years,” Basil said.
“This will make it my 15 years in office as your MP,” he said.
“In 2012, I won the election by more than 26,000 votes on primary counts and this year I have won again with a similar result. I would like to tell the people of PNG, especially in the Highlands, that I did not buy any votes, bring extra ballot papers into the counting area by night or threatened voters to vote for me,” he said.
“I have won on a clean campaign,” Basil said.
Basil said though he had spent just a week campaigning in Bulolo and did not visit most of the rural areas of the district, people have nevertheless returned him as their MP though overwhelming votes.”
Basil said he would continue from where he  left in his development plans for the district. He said Pangu Pati would be camping in Goroka, Eastern Highlands.