Motion to change the government will be put forward says former PM Peter O’Neil
The Opposition has made known its intention to move a vote no-confidence motion against the ruling Pangu Party Government when Parliament will reconvene this month, as the 18 months’ grace period lapses.
Ialibu-Pangia MP Peter O’Neill, who resigned from the prime minister’s office in 2019, says his successor Prime Minister James Marape must be replaced for the good of the country.
Mr Marape, whose Pangu Party led government holds an absolute majority in the 111 seat parliament has issued a challenge to the opposition to bring its numbers to the parliament chamber “to change the government and not social media”.
Weeks leading up to the first parliament sitting for 2024 on 13th February, a handful of government back benchers have defected to the opposite side of the house.
And Mr O’Neill is confident, the opposition “currently have the numbers to move the motion through, we have more than 12 MPs as the required number [by the law]”.
“From my experience, [motion] can pass at any sitting before the last 12 months of a term before the election. If it failed, can pass at any sitting.”
The parliamentary leader of the Peoples National Congress Party says an alternate prime minister will be reached by consensus by all opposition members.
“It is entirely up to members of parliament. I do not dream and wake up every morning to be the prime minister. For me is to get rid of bad government, making too many promises but not delivering to the people,” Mr O’Neill said.
The Constitution states that “a motion of no confidence is moved within the last 12 months before the fifth anniversary of the date fixed for the return of the writs at the previous general election [and] of which not less than one week’s notice, signed by a number of members of the Parliament being not less than one-tenth of the total number of seats in the Parliament.