Kua: PM’s announcement is a political gimmick

By Rebecca Kuku
THE announcement by Prime Minister Peter O’Neill’s yesterday that he was going to resign “is a political gimmick aimed to create more confusion”, says Opposition MP Kerenga Kua.
The Sinasina-Yongomugl MP who is also the shadow minister for justice and attorney-general, told The National that O’Neill’s statement that he would “step down in the coming days” meant that he was technically still the prime minister.
“Unless and until he writes a formal letter to the governor-general informing him of his decision to resign as the prime minister, (he remains in the position)”.
“If he does this (writes the letter), then there will be an immediate vacancy in the prime minister’s seat, and Parliament will be able to elect a new prime minister after 24 hours of it been informed through the Speaker’s Office,” he said.
Kua said if O’Neill handed in his letter of resignation today, then Parliament would be informed of it through the Speaker on Tuesday “and a new prime minister can be elected on Wednesday”.
“However, if he does not resign, than the only pathway would be to submit a motion of no-confidence against Prime Minister Peter O’Neill on Tuesday when Parliament sits. The motion will then go before the Private Business Parliamentary Committee and will be placed on the notice papers on Thursday. And a vote of no-confidence will likely take place on June 6,” he said.