An intending candidate for Kagua-Erave Electorate in the Southern Highlands was forcefully 'intimidated' to withdraw his nomination for the 2017 National General Elections - A case that defeats democracy in Papua New Guinea

by WILSON BRAIDWOOD SUKUMANO 

(Kagua-Erave Development Forum on Facebook)

UNDERLYING REASONS WHY I DID NOT NOMINATE ON THE 11TH HOUR..
To you all my supporters and followers, I wish to clear the air why I did not nominate and stepped down at 3.37pm on Thursday 27th April at Kagua station in the dying minutes of nominations.

1. One of my 5-door car from the fleet of cars I had for campaign was seriously damaged by a knife wielding caveman Maita Yawi Maina Pano. Only reasons known to him he came and destroyed my 5-door Toyota Land Cruiser and even chopped the tires of the car which is now at the workshop. My driver with few of the passengers inside the car en-route to pick a dead body at Wara Sugu on Tuesday morning in the eve of nominations almost lost their heads and necks chopped off under a sharp bush knife. This lead to a big commotion and physical confrontations between me and Maita Yawi in the village where we almost got things out of hand.

2. Our Yamu tribe has a population of 850 voters. Should two of us contested our respective bases would have been around 425 each which is not a good base to stay in the race and lobby for second votes. Though I was the first who started early campaigning , he Matia Yawi just popped up in the eleventh hour taking advantage of his wealth and created violence in the village between him, myself and our supporters .Both our supporters almost went into exchange of fire which I didn’t want that to happen as responsible leader and intending candidate.

3. Since Maita Yawi is an uneducated typical village man who resorts to bush knife, gun and violence to solve issues, all our educated elites and working class of Yamu tribe physically approached me at Kagua council chambers, Kagua Station requesting me not to nominate while I was marching to nomination office to nominate. Paul Pawa, Paulus Perea, Ishmael Royo and Rali Kawane physically confronted me not to nominate as they knew Maita Yawi is fighting a losing battle and don’t want me to take the blame of his most likely loose . As such at 3.37pm I stepped down and did not nominate to avoid further escalations with knife and gun wielding Maita Yawi .

Due to the reasons above I did the humble thing to step down in nominating though I did pay the nominations fees and filled in the Form 29 and did spend a lot of resources. My stepping down does not mean that I support Maita Yawi. My family and I will be advocating for other educated candidates and Maita Yawi does not have my support. 

         Rali and his family are supporting Wesley Raminai, Paul Pawa, Ishmael Royo and their families are supporting James Yapa Lagea. Thus Maita Yawi is doing it on isolation without having the support and vote base of entire Yamu tribe and has been supported by other war & drug lords and opportunists around Kagua LLG. Even Kiras are not supporting him.

With that I thank you all my supporters and followers for your support and prayers and appeal to you all that if you voting in KE please vote for an educated and capable leader.

Many thanks and God bless Kagua Erave
Wilson Braidwood Sukumano

Photos of Wilson Braidwood Sukumano, intending candidate for the 2017 National General Election who become victim of undue pressure from imminent violence. His decision to step down brought peace to the community.