Potape for temporary governor until 2017

HELA deputy governor Thomas Potape (pictured) says whoever is elected by the assembly tomorrow in Tari as acting-governor should be allowed to continue up to the 2017 general election.
He warned that to hold a by-election was “too risky”, given the ongoing lawlessness in the province.
He said Komo-Magarima MP Francis Potape and Koroba-Lake Kopiago MP Philip Undialu had both put their hands up to be elected as acting-governor when the assembly meets tomorrow.
Potape, who is also acting-assembly chairman, said he had given notice of the meeting.
“There will be no other agenda apart from the election of the acting-governor of the province,” he said.
Potape said teams from Department of Provincial and Local Level Government and other government agencies would witness the meeting.
“I do not want the governorship by-election to go ahead,” he said.
“I want the prime minister to intervene and make a decision on someone to lead the province into 2017.
“The prime minister should recommend someone (to be acting-governor) and this should be endorsed by the provincial assembly to look after the province for the next eight months. I want Prime Minister Peter O’Neill to appoint one of these two (Potape or Undialu) and the people will support it.”
He said Potape, Undialu and Tari-Pori MP James Marape were members of the ruling People’s National Congress so the prime minister should have no problem in appointing someone to lead Hela.