The Papua New Guinea MP, Belden Namah, maintains that he will continue to be the Governor of West Sepik province regardless of the result of the current regional by-election.
Mr Namah was elected to fill the vacant regional seat by the provincial assembly in April, although the State Solicitor subsequently advised that the provincial assembly failed to follow due process.
The acting Prime Minister and Inter Government Relations Minister Leon Dion has now come out clear that Mr Namah will have to follow the law and vacate the Governor's seat.
The newspaper, The National reports Mr Dion saying that whoever wins the current by-election, for which vote counting has almost reached its conclusion, will be the West Sepik governor.
Vanimo MP Belden Namah Photo: RNZ / Alex Smith
However Mr Namah held a press conference in Port Moresby this week to indicate he plans to defy the order.
He said that Leo Dion is not the right person to declare him as not the governor and has challenged the minister to take him to court.
Mr Namah said that even if someone is declared the regional MP, they would have to go to the provincial assembly and move a vote of no confidence against him to remove him as governor.