Paita: We are still Pangu

Marape allowing 12 defected MPs to attend meeting

By Rebecca Kuku
FINSCHHAFEN MP Rainbo Paita says he and the 11 Pangu Party members who have joined the Opposition remain members of the party as they have not resigned.
Paita, who has been nominated by the Opposition MPs as their choice for prime minister in their no-confidence motion expected to be filed this week, will be up against his party leader James Marape.
Paita said that he and the 11 others who had crossed the floor did so because of the “inaction of the Government to address ongoing national issues”.
Registrar of Political Parties and Candidates Emmanuel Pok said that there was no law against members of the same party contesting for the PM’s seat.
“Sections 57, 58 of the Organic Law on the Integrity of Political Parties and Candidates (OLIPPAC) have been nullified by the Supreme Court decision of 2010,” Pok said.
“MPs will vote according to their own conscience.”
MPs no longer have to vote along party lines when it comes to motions such as the one on the vote of no confidence.
Pok said it was up to Pangu party members “to make their own ruling” according to the party’s constitution.
Meanwhile, Pangu Party members decided at a meeting yesterday to allow the 12 MPs who had left to attend a party meeting on June 6 to “decide their party membership”.
Marape said: “We did not chase them out, we will not chase them out. They are mandated leaders and are our colleagues and we respect their constitutional rights.
“And as the leader of Pangu, I have the tolerance and patience to care for them if they want to come back. If they want to leave, then we will feel pain for them but it is their right and their call.”
Paita said that he and the 11 others who had crossed the floor did so because of the “inaction of the Government to address ongoing national issues”.
Registrar of Political Parties and Candidates Emmanuel Pok said that there was no law against members of the same party contesting the PM’s seat.
“Sections 57, 58 of the Organic Law on the Integrity of Political Parties and Candidates (OLIPPAC) have been nullified by the Supreme Court decision of 2010,” Pok said.
“MPs will vote according to their own conscience.”
MPs no longer have to vote along party lines when it comes to motions such as the one on the vote of no confidence.
Pok said it was up to Pangu party members “to make their own ruling” according to the party’s constitution.
Meanwhile, Pangu Party members decided at a meeting yesterday to allow the 12 MPs who had left to attend a party meeting on June 6 to “decide their party membership”.
Marape said: “We did not chase them out, we will not chase them out. They are mandated leaders and are our colleagues and we respect their constitutional rights.
“And as the leader of Pangu, I have the tolerance and patience to care for them if they want to come back. If they want to leave, then we will feel pain for them but it is their right and their call.”