Polye: I am ready to be Prime Minister

THE National Alliance party’s highlands bloc is rallying behind Deputy Prime Minister Don Polye for the party’s leadership when Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare steps down, The National reports.

In a show of solidarity, members of the Highlands bloc travelled with Polye to Laiagam last Friday to address a huge crowd in the rural township.

Those who travelled included Western Highlands Governor Tom Olga, Tambul-Nebilyer MP and Civil Aviation Minister Benjamin Poponawa, Mul-Baiyer MP and Internal Security Minister Sani Rambi, Wapenamanda MP Miki Kaeok and Lagaip-Porgera MP Philip Kikala.

Polye and his team travelled to Laiagam at the invitation of Kikala to officially close the week-long West Enga tumbuna cultural show.

Polye, who is the highlands deputy NA leader, told the huge crowd that had packed the Laiagam oval that he was ready to take over the party’s leadership when Sir Michael steps down.

Speaking in Engan dialect for maximum impact, Polye explained that the latest political events that saw the sacking of former deputy prime minister Sir Puka Temu was not an attempt to change the government, but an internal leadership issue.

He said the opposition seized the opportunity in creating political instability in pushing for a vote of no-confidence.

Polye said the NA leadership was not restricted to a particular district, province or region, and he would go for it.