PPP’s Zurenuoc leads by 4,000 in Finschhafen

PEOPLE’S Progress Party’s Theo Zurenuoc is the clear leader by 4,000-odd votes from his nearest rival after the end of primary counts for the Finschhafen open seat.
The education minister scored 7,150 primary votes after count 18 yesterday.
His nearest challenger, Arigenaw Menggenang, was trailing in second spot with 2,837 primary votes.
Rainbo Paito is in third place with 2,659 votes and former Morobe top
cop, Giosi Labi, fourth with 2,349.The elimination process was delayed by scrutineers and supporters over an alleged use of a 2007 common roll at one polling site in the electorate.
In Lae, at the Nawaeb counting centre at Bumbu police barracks, counting was suspended late yesterday, after the 20th  elimination. Samson Timson is still in the lead with 3,878 votes.
Former teacher Gisuwat Siniwin is second with 3,192 votes and incumbent MP Timothy Bonga is third with 2,972 votes. Bonga has been collecting second and third preference votes from eliminated candidates and is expected to climb when the elimination process resumes today.
Nawaeb returning officer, Jonah Mathews is hopeful of a declaration by tomorrow.