Bonga accepts defeat in Nawaeb race

By GABRIEL LAHOC
NATIONAL Alliance party strongman and ousted member of parliament, Timothy Bonga, has followed Arthur Somare in accepting election defeat with grace and congratulated his successor and new Nawaeb MP, Gisuwin Sinuwat.
Bonga held a press conference last Friday afternoon the declaration of the new MP and thanked the people of Nawaeb, his family and supporters for their support and confidence in his leadership in the past five years.
Bonga, who finished third behind runner-up and former MP Kennedy Wenge, took his election defeat as a seasoned politician, looking relaxed.
He comforted a few dejected supporters who turned up to pay their respect at the Huon Gulf motel in Lae, Morobe.
He extended his support, advice and expertise to Sinuwat and promised to work with him.
“Sinuwat is a raw politician going into a big pool of national leaders and there are big challenges ahead. I am there for him for the sake of the people of Nawaeb,” he said.
Despite his shock defeat, seen as another major blow to the NA party, the former parliament speaker who had a stint as acting governor-general plans on staying in political circle and government ranks.
“I am a politician.
“Politics is my game. I am down but not out.
“I will be back stronger in 2017.
“I won’t dispute my loss despite some highly suspicious activities, which included unscheduled voting on Sunday,” he said.
Siniwin, who is part of five People’s National Congress winning candidates in Morobe, is the former principal of the Bumayong Lutheran Secondary School.
He polled 6,045 votes to beat Wenge who got 5,613 votes.