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Per Malum Nalu things getting interesting in parliament
"Peter O'Neill faction still in control of Parliament
The Peter O'Neill majority faction has just passed a motion requiring Governor General Michael Ogio, to attend Parliament to swear in O'Neill as Prime Minister.
Parliament question time on right now which is being broadcast live on NBC FM 90.7.
Dominated by the O'Neill faction as the Sir Michael Somare faction hasn't come in yet.
Jeffrey Nape calls himself speaker, O'Neill still calls himself Prime Minister and the ministers are still holding on to their portfolios and answering questions."
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"Jeffrey Nape calls himself speaker"...
Well, guy, not for long. Nape can now call himself Governor General. UN is making public statements, hope this doesn't hit a flash-point on the streets.
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PNG Governor-General "removed" by O’Neill grouping in political standoff
Posted at 09:05 on 14 December, 2011 UTC
The position of Governor-General is the latest to lapse into confusion in the ongoing political standoff in Papua New Guinea with two men claiming to be Prime Minister.
One of the two, Sir Michael Somare, was reinstated by the Governor-General this morning, after five days of tense political deadlock.
But later in the day at parliament, Peter O’Neill, who replaced Sir Michael while he was overseas for heart treatment, was sitting in the government benches, refusing to step down as Prime Minister despite Monday’s Supreme Court ruling that he had taken power in August illegally.
Mr O’Neill’s grouping then removed the Governor General, Sir Michael Ogio, installing speaker Jeffrey Nape as the acting Governor-General.
Mr Nape subsequently swore-in Mr O’Neill as Prime Minister.
Earlier, a spokesman for Sir Michael Ogio says he sought legal advice and decided to uphold the Supreme Court ruling and therefore moved to swear in Sir Michael Somare’s Cabinet.
But Mr O’Neill rejects the court ruling, saying he was elected by parliament and is therefore the legitimate prime minister.
Parliament, with only O’Neill backers in attendance, passed a motion to ban Sir Michael Somare and his cabinet from declaring themselves as the nation’s government.
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UN Secretary General voices concern about leadership deadlock in PNG
By Online Editor
4:49 pm GMT+12, 14/12/2011, United States
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon expressed concern today about mounting political tensions in Papua New Guinea, where two prominent politicians each say they are the Pacific country’s rightful leader.
Papua New Guinea’s Parliament voted earlier this year to elect Peter O’Neill as Prime Minister after determining that the post was vacant when incumbent Sir Michael Somare spent five months abroad for medical treatment, according to media reports.
The reports indicate that the country’s Supreme Court has since ruled that Parliament acted illegally, and that Sir Michael – who has returned to Papua New Guinea – should be reinstated.
In a statement issued by his spokesperson, Ban called on all sides “to exercise maximum restraint and to avoid an escalation of the situation.”
He added that he hoped the crisis would be “resolved soon in a peaceful manner in accordance with the constitution.”.
