Picture from left to right presidential candidates Sam Kauna, Nick Peniai, Louis Smith and Joe Lera
EXCLUSIVE
Four presidential candidates for the Bougainville general election have called for a fresh presidential ballot amid alleged, massive fraud favouring the incumbent President, Ishmael Toroama.
Spokesman for the group of four, Louis Smith, a presidential candidate, said several foreign businessmen with interests in Bougainville were suspected of paying President Toroama bribes and influencing the election.
In 2020, there were strong expectations Bougainville would soon be independent, breaking away from PNG rule given the result of an overwhelming referendum for independence just months earlier.
That hasn’t happened yet, and Port Moresby has yet to concede much ground.
The general election started on September 5 and there are no final results available yet.
These stunning corruption allegations had thrown a spear in the works for a fair and honest election which ultimately would hold back the people of Bougainville, Mr Smith told Cairns News.
“Serial numbers have been changed on boxes and in some places nearly every vote is going to the President which just can’t happen without fraud,” Mr Smith said.
“The presidential candidates are working close together because the voting is rigged, and how can it be all these votes are going to one person?
When asked if the PNG government could help he said PNG Prime Minister James Marape wanted to keep President Toroama in his position because he “likes to work with someone he can manipulate.”
“We had a meeting with the electoral commissioner yesterday and we all think he has been paid out too.”
Several Bougainville businessmen were accused of bribing President Toroama for favours which was not sitting well with local people.
He named one accused businessman as Guy Hodgson, whom Mr Smith said had been kicked out of Zimbabwe by President Robert Mungabwe for bribery.
Mr Smith described the other businessmen accused of bribery as an American, two Australians, one from Perth and the other from Brisbane.
“Now Guy Hodgson is doing what Rio Tinto did to our people when they operated the mine. He has no conscience whatsoever and no respect for the people of Bougainville,” he said.
“I am fighting for them and we are waiting for the Port Moresby court to order a new presidential election.”
More than 239,000 registered voters live in Bougainville, which decided in 2019 to seek independence, and talks are ongoing with the PNG government about this process.
So far, the incumbent President Ishmael Toroama is leading the vote count with more than 64,000 votes, while his closest competitor, Lera, has just over 12,000 votes.
The demands come as the Bougainville Electoral Commission (OBEC) announced that they are extending the deadline for final results.
The results were supposed to be finalised on Monday, but this has now been pushed back to October 6. Voting took place on September 5 and 6 to ensure that everyone eligible could participate.
By law, the counting of votes must be completed within 14 days, with an original schedule to start on September 8 and finish by September 22. But counting did not start until September 12 due to some logistical problems.
Bougainville Election Results to date
Tuesday 23rd SEPTEMBER 2025*
NORTH BOUGAINVILLE ELECTION UPDATE..
*Mahari CONSTITUENCY*
COUNT: 149
NORTH BOUGAINVILLE FORMER COMBATANT SEAT
PROGRESSIVE RESULTS
10- GREGORY MANAU- 2615
11- CALLEN MATUNA- 2143
12-JOEL KORUS- 1518
13- WILSON GETSI- 1242
14-DAMIEN KORA- 1136
15-STANIS DAVEEN SABIN- 505
16-HENRY SOVEK- 185
17- STANLEY MAIA- 806
18-JAMES KERIAKA- 196
19-LINUS SARAM- 1876
20 -SYLVESTER HATSIERE- 4588
21.EDDIE MOHIN- 2445
22-STEVEN PONGAT- 1207
23-ARTHUR HAPISIRIA- 221
24-WILFRED ANING- 633
25-DAVID MUSEIN- 491
26-KEVIN MAGUM- 179
27-MARCELINE GETSI- 1093
28-ROSS YAMUNA VAVEIO- 3099
29.ROBERT KEKEVIO- 3826
30. PAUL MENAS- 243
Formal Ballot Paper: 30,246
Informal Ballots: 1192
Total Allowable Ballots: 31438
NORTH BOUGAINVILLE WOMEN SEAT
COUNT # 149
PROGRESSIVE RESULTS:
*Mahari*
10.ELUI RENGET NAUA- 6780
11.DELOURDS MOTSI SEMOSO- 12,451
12. HONA KUNBI HOLAN- 2419
13. ELIZABETH TAKO PALIN- 6473
14. MARLENE GIRIS- 2375
TOTAL FORMAL BALLOTS: 30498
INFORMAL BALLOTS: 1069
TOTAL ALLOWABLE BALLOTS: 31567
