NCD Regional candidate, Fred Yakasa is concerned over continuous delays in counting for the NCD Regional Seat.

He said these are the sentiments of all candidates contesting the top seat in the nation’s capital.

“There have been delays in polling, counting and this continues. It’s irritating and candidates are dismayed,” said Yakasa.

Mr Yakasa said the electoral commission has miserably failed with so many issues surrounding polling and counting.

He said with the date of return of writs nearing, he is not sure if counting for the NCD Regional Seat will be completed or not.

The former city police boss said candidates will not stop the process unnecessarily if things are done according to election laws.

“The electoral commission cannot blame us. We are seeing that things are not right and that is the whole reason,” Mr Yakasa said.

Mr Yakasa further stressed that for NCD Regional, counting is being delayed for more than 2 days. He said this is a waste of time.

“The NCD Election Manager, Kila Ralai continues to be late at the counting rooms. The other day we were told by our scrutineers that he arrived late in the evening.

Their actions continue to be suspicious. More and more evidence are being uncovered and those responsible must be held accountable,” said Yakasa.

Mr Yakasa urged the next Government to prioritize fixing all matters relating the election process.

“Whoever forms Government must look into this concern and ensure all matters like the common roll, including voting and the counting process are improved,” said Mr Yakasa.

He said the 2022 national election has not been safe and fair.

CANDIDATES contesting to be the next Governor for the National Capital District yesterday at around 12pm fronted up at the Boroko Police Station to follow up on a formal complaint laid by candidate Michael Kandiu.

Those that were part of the contingent of angered candidates are Andy Bawa, Lucielle Paru, Steven Kilage, Sylvia Pascoe and Michael Kandiu.
Kandiu was angered by the actions that took place, he said there was tampering during the counting process of the NCD Regional held at the Rita Flynn counting center.

“The incident happened on Tuesday when my scrutineers found out that I had scored 169 votes but on the electoral commissions tally sheet I had only 16, they had taken 153 votes and passed it on to other candidates.

“We found out that figures on the update posted by the Electoral Commission did not match our tally sheet,” Kandiu said

Kandiu expressed dismay that this was the second time he has been a victim of this it had happened in the 2017 election, also it was the same person who did it this time around.

“This is exactly the same thing that happened in 2017 and this is the same person who made this mistake with other officers also at the counting center.

“We want them to be arrested, the electoral commission has failed miserably in running a fair and free election,” Kandiu said

The police were prompt to gather the election team in question down at the Rita Flyn Counting center, they were taken in for questioning at the Boroko Police Station, among those that were taken in, was election manager for NCD Kila Ralai.

Inside PNG was able to speak with Ralai after he left the Boroko Police station and returned to the counting center, he said the matter was before the police and counting would continue.

Ralai did confirm that a complaint was made by Kandiu’s scrutineers at the counting center and steps were taken to rectify the discrepancies.

“When we heard the complaint, we realized that our electoral commission figures were different from the Scrutineers figures, we proceeded to open the boxes again to verify both figures again and we identified that there was an error on our tally on our, we had 16 when the actual ballot papers and figures on Michael Kandius tally for that particular ward “ward 4” was actually was 169,” Ralai confirmed.

Former NCD Metropolitan Superintendent now vying for the Governor’s seat Andy Bawa was very vocal about the lack of transparency witnessed at the counting center, he said they have written to the Electoral Commission about the matter.

“We want those involved to be sidelined including the election manager as well, that’s why we have written to the electoral commissioner and we have laid a formal complaint with the Metropolitan Superintendent of NCD, we just want a fair and free elections.

“First and foremost because it is an election related fraud case, we want that person responsible to be arrested and charged and after that we want people who are implicated in the allegations in the counting room replaced by new ones,” Bawa said.

Ralai when asked bout the demand for replacement of all counting officials he said steps were being taken to address the issue going forward.

“We will not have a new team but we will make some replacements, I have taken the task to not allow one of the Assistant Returning Officers who has been sidelined, he is not to enter the counting area with the three officers’ who were recorders working during the shift that night the incident had happened,’’ Ralai said