Six of the 7 parliamentary seats on Tanna constituency have been declared vacant by the Supreme Court yesterday afternoon, according to Capital FM News this morning. In an unprecedented move for the constituency, the Supreme Court Judge Fatiaki had ruled in favour of the election petition of businessman, Sabby Natonga, with regard to voting proxy votes and voting irregularities. The case had been prolonged due to delay on the part of the Attorney General’s Office to make submissions as required in the court process. Judge Fatiaki then ruled that the six seats including that held by Education Minister, Bob Loughman, Government appointed roving diplomat, Joe Natuman, Permanent Secretary to the Prime Minister’s Office, Silas Yatan, one government backbenchers – Richard Namel, and two opposition MPs, Morkin Steven and Thomas Laken, were null and void. The ruling did not affect the seat held by Pascal Iauko who was voted in a by-election last year. Note that the court ruling could give the opposition the opportunity to file a motion of no-confidence to oust Moana from his PM position in the upcoming ordinary session scheduled to begin on 28th April.
Posted on: Thu, 10 Apr 2014 04:29:06 +0000