Papue New Guinea national parliament (file image) Photo: EMTV Online / Tamara Pia Agavi
The Speaker of the Papua New Guinea Parliament, Job Pomat, has announced on the floor of parliament that a motion of no confidence in Prime Minister James Marape has been presented to him and he has accepted it.
The opposition has been endeavouring to file its motion since February of this year and this is, in fact, the fifth time they have tried since the grace period, which protects governments from such votes, elapsed.
The Post-Courier reports that the Finschaffen MP, Rainbo Paita, who had been a senior member of Marape's inner circle until just months ago, remains as the opposition's choice to head any new government that might emerge.
The current opposition leader, Douglas Tomuriesa was supported members of the Opposition including Kerenga Kua, Keith Iduhu, Sir Puka Temu, Francis Alua, James Donald, Rufina Peter, Robert Naguri and Bryan Kramer when he filed the motion.
It will now go to the Private Business Committee of which Pomat is the chairman.
It is sitting today, and the Post-Courier reports that Pomat is expected to make an announcement tomorrow
on the outcome of that meeting.
The Committee has just one member of the opposition - the Gulf Governor Sir Chris Haiveta, who only defected to the opposition last week.