Niningi receives poll results

Inter-Government Relations Minister Pila Niningi has received the list of all the declared ward councillors elected in the local level government (LLG) elections.
He said his office would go through the lists and verify the results to ensure that elections were carried out properly before putting up the list tomorrow.
Niningi made the comments yesterday after receiving the data of all the declared councillors from the 6,385 wards in 331 LLGs throughout the country.
“Firstly, I am happy that the 2019 LLG election was successfully conducted and completed generally well,” he said.
“The elections throughout the country were peaceful with 96 per cent success rate, even without police engagement in this elections.
“This is a very clear indication and testament that our people are more matured and have taken ownership of the electoral process.”
Niningi said he had received reports of former LLG leaders (former presidents and ward members) attempting to hijack the process by forcing themselves to be sworn-in as members of LLGs.
“These acts are a blatant disregard for the rule of law and the electoral process in the country,” he said.
“The people have spoken through the ballot and the former LLG leaders must respect the people.”
He said deliberate attempts to derail and jeopardise the established processes and procedures of the LLG Assembly Standing Orders, and relevant provisions of laws, to establish a government in the LLG, were not only unethical but also impinged the democratic process of establishing a new government at the third tier of the government.
“I will not hesitate to refer the perpetrators to relevant law enforcement agencies like police to deal with them,” he said.