Merge parties: Somare

PANGU Pati and National Alliance Party life member Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare has urged the officials of the two parties to merge.
Sir Michael recalled that he had to form the NA party in 2000 after differences in the Pangu Pati leadership.
“I still have Pangu blood in my veins, mind and heart,” Sir Michael said. “If not, most party policies, especially the eight-point pillars, are similar in either party’s platform.
Hence, it is significant for Pangu and NA to merge before the 2017 general election to prove their leadership capabilities.”
Sir Michael met the Morobe Pangu Pati branch executives last Friday to discuss its future. Sam Basil, who revived the Pangu Pati in 2014, met Sir Michael on Thursday.
The party was founded in June, 1967 by Sir Michael Somare, Albert Maori Kiki and Barry Holloway.
Sir Michael served as Prime Minister and as the leader of the Pangu Party from 1972 to 1980 and from 1982 to 1985. In 1988, he was replaced as leader of Pangu by Sir Rabbie Namaliu who served as prime minister from 1988 to 1992.
At the 2002 elections, the party won six of 109 seats, under the leadership of Chris Haiveta until Sir Michael became prime minister.