Sir Puka comes good on his word, moves back to govt after O’Neill resigns

OUR Development Party leader Sir Puka Temu has moved back to the Government after Prime Minister Peter O’Neill resigned yesterday.
“I left the Government three weeks ago because O’Neill did not listen to me to step down. Now that he has stepped aside, I will go back to the Government,” he told Parliament yesterday when congratulating him for resigning,” he said.
“After yesterday’s storm in this house (chaotic situation in Parliament after Speaker Job Pomat did not entertain a motion to remove him on Tuesday) under your leadership , today is a different spirit. And I thank all the honourable leaders for allowing today’s occasion.”
Sir Puka said that he had nominated and supported O’Neill to be the prime minister during the political impasse to remove the then prime minister Sir Michael Somare in Aug 2011.
“And in 20/12/11, I left this house (Parliament ) by myself , I told the then Prime Minister Peter O’Neill that we have got five days to go before Christmas and the way things are happening on this floor that parliament will sit for the first time in PNG on Christmas Day, and so I requested that I go to the governor-general’s office to meet the late Grand Chief Sir Michael Ogio during the constitutional crisis.
“I requested him personally to change his mind to recognise Peter O’Neill as the duly elected prime minister (after overthrowing Sir Michael during that political impasses).
“During that time, I recognised him as a young, smart man and so I stood behind him.
“He took this (PNC) party to the 2012 elections and became a major force in PNG politics. During the haus man (PNC Party caucus) discussions while I was still a PNC member a couple of weeks ago , it was myself who sat next to him (O’Neill ) on his right.
“I requested O’Neill to step aside. When he didn’t. I left him. I said prime minister, if you step aside, I will stay here.
“Today, prime minister has not only heard the call of the people and the liklik toktok (call for his resignation) at haus man of PNC, he has inform the nation that he will step aside.
“So as an honourable leader, consistent with my word of the haus man of the PNC sapos yu step aside bai mi stap (if you step aside I will stay).
“There are 67 of us (Opposition MPs) here who will vote tomorrow to change the Government.
“I am now advising Parliament that consistent with my word that if you step aside, I will stay.
“I will now announce to leave this side (Opposition bench) and leave the 66 to vote tomorrow and I will join him (O’Neill) because of my commitment.”
After giving his speech Sir Puka left the Opposition to cross the floor to the Government side.