Petition withdrawn against Gazelle MP

GAZELLE parliamentarian Malakai Tabar can breathe a sigh of relief after the second and last election petition against him was withdrawn by petitioner and former member for Gazelle Sinai Brown last Friday.
Brown’s lawyer, David Lidgett, asked the Kokopo National Court to withdraw the petition as it was not filed within the 40-day period after the elections under election petition rules.
Commenting last Friday on the two petitions – the first one taken out by lawyer Nobert Kubakand which was dismissed last Thursday due to incompetency and Brown’s petition – Tabar said with the petitions out of the way, he could concentrate on his electorate.
He said people in the district and local leaders must work together for the good of the district.
Five other candidates had filed petitions outside of the 40-day period.
“Rumours of a by-election circulating in Gazelle electorate are not the case.
“The court has now informed everybody, including me and the petitioners, that the position is safe and that I am the member for Gazelle,” he said
“It has been a distressing time for me and my family but I am glad it is over and I can now serve the people of Gazelle since they elected me as their member in the first place.”