RICHARD MENDANI, KEREMA OPEN MP IS A CHEAT

by THOMAS OPA*
More information has been revealed by polling officials, policemen and others who went up there for polling that the whole polling exercise in our remote mountains of Kotidanga LLG was sabotaged and hijacked by the sitting MP. There was no proper, free and fair elections for our people up in Kotidanga to make their own choice. The polling officials and auxillary policemen from the local area all collaborated to mark ballot papers in favour of sitting MP Richard Mendani who hails from Kotidanga LLG. We have gathered information that the polling officials and auxillary policemen were all bribed during the polling period.

Richard Mendani was trailing badly but when 11 boxes from Kotidanga were counted, he collected 5,445 votes while everyone else collected nothing. Even the other 9 or so candidates from Kotidanaga LLG did not score votes in their own areas and wards. In one particular ward Manimango, a primary school teacher was casting votes for everyone while all the voters looked on in amusement. This particular guy was arrested and brought down to Kerema and has escaped from custody.

During quality checks, all of the 5,445 votes Richard Mendani collected from Kotidanga LLG had the same handwriting meaning the same oficials were completing the papers.. Majority of our people in Kotidanga LLG are illiterate however the informal votes were next to zero. The polling officials conducted polling at ungazetted locations in the night and filled up the ballot papers in favour of Richard Mendani. The polling officials completed the ballot papers and ensured no second and third preferences were given to coastal candidates. Many voters were intimidated to vote against their free will. Many of the candidates and voters from Kotidanga LLG are fearful to come out public for fear of retaliation.

I am collecting more evidence and it has become apparent that the people of Kerema have been robbed in daylight of a good, honest and transparent leader. I have accepted defeat graciously but the evidence so far are so overwhelming that to leave this matter to die will deny natural justice to the 9843 voters who believed in me. My heart pains for my Gulf Province that our children and poor mothers and fathers will suffer again for the next 5 years due to no fault of theirs.

We have been denied victory by selfish, greedy and cheating people including the sitting MP and his cohorts who rigged and manipulated the elections. I went into this elections with integrity and i will not compromise myself to allow a cheat to walk away scot-free.

During the declarations yesterday afternoon, what suppose to be a moment of happiness and celebrations for the victory of the sitting MP turned out to be a laughing stock as the crowds laughed at every word the sitting MP was saying with his incoherent and non-sensical victory speech. This is the kind of leadership that the people of Kerema will be subject to for the next 5 years.

*Thomas Opa finished 2nd after final elimination for the KEREMA OPEN ELECTORATE

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