EC promises clean, fair by-election process

THE Electoral Commission has assured the 22 candidates contesting the Goroka Open seat by-election that it will ensure the process is fair and clean.
Acting Commissioner Simon Sinai said 400 police officers would provide security and help ensure the smooth running of the by-election.
He said the last thing anyone wanted was something going wrong resulting in the by-election result being declared null and void.
The by-election is the result of a lengthy court process which took more than two years after Henry Ame’s win in 2017 was challenged in an election petition.
“Therefore, I appeal to the good people of Goroka to adhere to our election laws and abstain from resorting to illegal activities that would derail efforts to conduct a good and successful by-election,” he said.
The candidates had claimed in a recent letter to him that a shop in Goroka had been illegally printing and distributing ballot papers.
Sinai clarified that the Electoral Commission has printed about 80,000 ballot papers for the 79,000-plus voters.