Sir Mekere urges winning Independent Candidates to team up together

Former prime minister Sir Mekere Morauta has appealed to all Independent winning candidates to team together as ‘horse trading’ begins leading towards the formation of a government.

Sir Mekere, who is currently leading in Moresby Northwest counting, has been communicating with political parties including National Alliance Party (NA), Pangu, National Party and People’s Movement for Change and has sent out the SOS call to all Independents to oust the ruling People’s National Congress Party.

“I appeal to all Independent MPs to get together as a team as soon as declarations are made and join other like-minded parties to deliver a good, clean, ethical government that will weed out corruption and run the country honestly and competently for the benefit of all Papua New Guineans now and for future generations. “By acting together that change can be brought about.”

His SOS call is now backing the NAP president and newly elected Namatanai MP Walter Schnaubelt, who said NA has already started talks with Independents and smaller political parties to form a grand coalition government.

He said National Alliance has the know-how, credentials and experience to lead a new Government minus People’s National Congress.

He said NA is tracking well, with 30 candidates in the top three around the country according to their tracking statistics, but will not have the numbers to form a new government.

He said NA has started talks with Pangu, National Party and Independents who are leading in various electorates to be part of the group to form government.

According to the current updates, PNC has 6 elected MP’s and 31 are leading in the top three in the current progressive counting, two declared independents and 103 leaders; NA has been tracking 30 with three already declared; and Pangu has four declared from the 14.

National Alliance do not have the numbers to form government on its own but need support from all smaller parties to have a coalition to install a legitimate government.

“We are in talks with Pangu, but they are waiting to bring in their numbers for greater negotiating powers to the table,” Mr Schnaubelt said.

But the ruling People’s National Congress Party leader and Prime Minister Peter O’Neill is confident to have the numbers to continue what it started five years ago to bring tangible development to the nation. Post Courier/PNG Today