Defer the election, says Wenge

By ELLEN TIAMU
A SUGGESTION has been put forward to Electoral Commissioner Andrew Trawen to defer the general election for a year so that all outstanding political and constitutional matters are dealt with.
Morobe Governor Luther Wenge lists the outstanding constitutional questions as:
l  The election of Peter O’Neill straight after the Supreme Court decision declaring his earlier election of Aug 2 unconstitutional;
l Whether the suspension of Governor-General Sir Michael Ogio after he refused to swear in O’Neill as prime minister was constitutional; and
l Whether the election of Jeffery Nape by parliament as speaker was constitutional.
Wenge says the Supreme Court needed to interpret whether the Act of Parliament to oust Sir Michael Somare as the East Sepik Regional MP and stopping his attendance at parliament meetings was constitutional.
He pointed out that a matter still in limbo was the regional seat (Governor) which would expire during the elections starting in April.
This law had been rescinded by parliament but needed to go through two more readings before it was passed.
He said, however, that time was running out.
The matters, he suggests, needed to be addressed properly because they made a mockery of and were detrimental to, the country’s Constitution.
It is why he was suggesting to the Electoral Commissioner to defer the election for one year.
Wenge said the Constitution allows for a general election every five years although the Electoral Commissioner has the power to make changes.
“What can happen is that the Commissioner issues writs on the appointed day then extends the elections for a year,” Wenge added.