Candidates told to stop running down each other

A CANDIDATE contesting the Wosera-Gawi seat in East Sepik province has called on fellow candidates to refrain from making defamatory statements against each other.
National Alliance Party candidate Paul Malken said Wosera-Gawi was one of the least developed districts in the country and leaders must not play politics but unite to bring development to the people in the next five years.
Malken was responding to a report by rival candidate James Wanjik in The National on Tuesday calling for the cancellation of counting for ballot papers from Jambitanget and Lingu villagers, in the North Wosera LLG.
Wanjik claimed that the ballot box had been tampered with as it seemed too full for an electorate with only 700 voters.
He alleged that the ballot box had been kept in the home of a candidate’s supporter at Jambitanget last Thursday night and later sneaked into Lingu village on Friday.
Malken said the report was unsubstantiated, misleading and defamatory of Jambitanget and Lingu villagers because Wanjik, his campaign manager Noel Yinataga or his scrutineers were not present during polling in the two villagers.
“Such a report does not do any good for the people of Wosera-Gawi as it only creates animosity between supporters of candidates and further creates an environment which is conducive to violence and disharmony in the community,” Malken said.