Polye seeks more police for Kandep by-election

THE ousted member for Kandep Open has called for more police personnel to be deployed for the Kandep by-election.
Former minister for Works, Transport and Civil Aviation Don Pomb Polye, assured electoral officials including returning officer Tore Poivaire from Gulf, his two assistant returning officers Kila Egaba from Oro and Kila Ralai from Madang, that the by-election would be conducted peacefully.
Mr Polye, who was the first candidate to nominate last Friday afternoon at the Kandep electoral office, said many candidates wanted a trouble-free and peaceful by-election to be conducted in the district.
He said that he had accepted the court’s decision to go for a by-election to prove the court’s decision wrong, and it was now up to the people of Kandep to decide who was going to be their new leader in Parliament.
Mr Polye said that as a leader, he would ensure that his supporters refrained from causing law and order problems in the by-election and he expected other candidates to educate their supporters to do the same.
He said he would write to Police Commissioner Gari Baki to request more police personnel to be deployed for the by-election.
He said that this would help prevent illegal activities from taking place and ensure that people voted freely without fear or intimidation from the candidates and their supporters.
Mr Poivaire told media personnel, police and other leaders accompanying Mr Polye to the electoral office that after talking to people, he found that the atmosphere was quiet and he expected a peaceful by-election.
He said he expected more candidates to nominate this week before the close of nominations on Thursday.
The petitioner, Alfred Manase, who successfully challenged the election of Mr Polye in the court of disputed returns, is expected to nominate some time this week.
The district was quiet during the weekend.
Mr Polye will hold a big rally in Kandep station today where some ministers from the ruling National Alliance party and party executives will attend and address the people.