Court clears Namah’s way

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By KARO JESSE
THE Supreme Court has declared that Opposition Leader Belden Namah has sufficient interest and standings to pursue a special reference filed questioning the election of Prime Minister James Marape in May last year.
Supreme Court judge David Cannings delivered the ruling yesterday on behalf of a panel comprising Justice Oagile Dingake and Teresa Berrigan.
The court found that Namah (the applicant) had sufficient interest to raise in the proceedings significant constitutional issues regarding Marape’s election.
The court ruled that there were no good reasons to refuse Namah’s request, was not vexatious and appeared to have no improper motives, though the issues could have been raised in other ways.
In contention to the election of PM, Namah contends that the decision of the Parliament followed an unconstitutional, invalid and unlawful withdrawal of former Prime Minister Peter O’Neill’s nomination for the PM’s position.
Namah in his standings claimed that the speaker’s acceptance of the withdrawal was unconstitutional and invalid.
Namah’s standings were based on the grounds that the election of PM was miscarried due to the failure to have proper regards to the following some provisions of the Constitution.
Justice Cannings during the ruling said though the interveners raised valid issues as to the prospect of the application succeeding, the appointment of the PM was made under section 142 of the Constitution and a challenge to that decision intrinsically raised serious issues.
“Those issues cannot be properly regarded at this stage of the proceedings as trivial, vexatious, hypothetical or irrelevant,” Cannings said.
“We are satisfied that the applicant raises significant constitutional issues.”
The matter was adjourned to Wednesday (March 25) for hearing despite the amended objection to competency filed by Marape’s lawyer on March 17 and an application of amended reference filed Feb 19.

7 comments

  • If God intervenes in situations like for Hon. PMJM’s election as Prime Minister who in the world can change what God has chosen to bail PNG out of the destruction of Peter O’neil. He is only playing a loosing game if God is the master mind of all this.

  • Namah your people in Vanimo Green are desperately in need of a basic Health and infracturer services. Can you stop playing and come home?

  • Marapes election to PM was born out of greed for power n money. It’s politics not Good,s intervention

  • Yet to see Marapes actions. Still talking and time is running. PO is coming back to claim the chair believe it or not…..

  • PO coming back? BN and PO cannot save PNG. They have sold this Country to the dogs. PMJM is talking and slowly will bring back PNG.

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