Marape says move by MPs was ‘strategic’

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By Rebecca Kuku
TARI-Pori MP James Marape had defended the move by 15 MPs including himself to join the Pangu Pati as “strategic” rather than an “opportunist” one as Prime Minister Peter O’Neill views it.
He also branded O’Neill’s attack on the 26 MPs who left his People’s National Congress party to join the opposition camp as “childish”.
He said the attack was very low for someone in his status. O’Neill in a statement branded the 26 MPs as “opportunists joining a political party they had no regard for”.
He also said they could have been “caught up in the Opposition money machine”.
Marape defended their “strategic” move to join Pangu as consistent not only for the future but also for he and his team stood for and what they wanted to achieve.
“Pangu led alongside other political parties for political independence in 1975. And facing 50 years of independence in 2025, my peers plus a few senior leaders among us have joined Pangu to give full economic independence to our country,” he said.
“As responsible leaders, the 26 of us from the Highlands, Mamose, Islands and Papua came out on our own accord to be part of an assembly of like-minded leaders to change the direction of our country for the better. After being with O’Neill for seven years, we have lost confidence in his leadership.”
Marape thanked Pangu for accepting the MPs to be part of a great political institution that led Papua New Guinea into independence in 1975.
“Pangu has been there long before myself or O’Neill arrived on the political stage and will be here long after we are gone.”