Bougainville elections: Candidates call for halt to vote counting amid concerns over fairness

Five candidates in the Bougainville Presidential Elections have called for an immediate halt to vote counting in South Bougainville.

They claim there are serious problems with the voting process that could undermine the election's fairness.

The candidates, Joseph Lera, Sam Kaona, Jack Penial, Louise Smith, and Thomas Raevet, are also asking for a meeting with the Electoral Commissioner, Desmond Tsianai, to discuss their concerns.

The demands come as the Bougainville Electoral Commission (OBEC) announced that they are extending the deadline for final results.

The results were supposed to be finalised on Monday, but this has now been pushed back to 6 October. Voting took place on 5 and 6 September to ensure that everyone eligible could participate.

By law, the counting of votes must be completed within 14 days, with an original schedule to start on 8 September and finish by 22 September. But counting did not start until 12 September due to some logistical problems.

Electoral Commissioner Desmond Tsianai. Photo/ABG

More than 239,000 registered voters live in Bougainville, which decided in 2019 to seek independence, and talks are ongoing with the PNG government about this process.

Bougainville has a total of 38 individual districts and several seats for women and former fighters, all leading up to a 45-member parliament.

Joe Elijah, the general secretary of the New Bougainville Party, told local media that the NBP, which has three candidates running for the presidency, presented a petition to the Electoral Commission over the weekend.

The Hutjena Hall Count Centre. Photo/ABG

Elijah also confirmed to the Post-Courier newspaper that the party has requested a meeting with Tsianai.

So far, the incumbent President Ishmael Toroama is leading the vote count with more than 64,000 votes, while his closest competitor, Lera, has just over 12,000 votes.

Seven candidates are contesting the election. Those elected to parliament so far include Robin Wilson (Barawa), Martin Avoata (Rotokas), Albert Punghau (Motuna Huyono Tokunutui), Lawrence Namusi (Baba), Melvin Iziras Wilolopa (Lato), Jason Baranangko (Rau), Justin Bonai (Bolave), Lucas Bierepi (Kereaka), Fabian Epota Saleu (Torokina), Thomas Naisi (Tonolei), Amanda Masono (Atolls), Luke Karaston (Suir), John Paul Bobby (Baubake), Heribeth Benjamin (Konnou), David Miringtoro (Ioro), Didymus Kisso Napto (Nissan), Clarence Dency (Eivo Torau), Thomas Pata'aku (Ramu), Milton Tukana (Asikopan), and Ezekiel Masatt (Tonsu).

Commissioner Tsianai says polling and counting have gone smoothly, and the results are gradually coming in despite the earlier delays.

“The presidential ballot [is] still doing the counting, first preference counting,’’ Tsianai told Pacific Waves. “We haven’t entered into the elimination or votes distribution as yet.”