BY SAMIE WAIKORI
AUKI
A candidate for ward 28 by-election of West Kwaio constituency, Mr Chris Rioka has been disqualified.
His disqualification comes after SIEC through its election team in Auki found that the name Chris Rioka does not exist in the 2018 voters list, which is the current validated list.
According to the election team in Auki, in 2014, Rioka had registered in West Kwaio and Central Kwara’ae constituencies.
He made the double registration in September and Central Kwara’ae was taken as his preferred constituency.
And in 2018, Rioka registered at Abalolo polling station in the Aoke Langa Langa constituency, but with a different name, Mr Jimmy Bata.
The election team said the registration of the candidate as Mr Chris Rioka to contest the by-election with the non-existence of the name on the validated voter’s list led to his disqualification.
They said the candidate’s valid name in accordance to the 2018 validated voter’s list is Mr Jimmy Bata, and if registered as that name he won’t disqualify.
The election team said that the candidate had already informed on his disqualification and soon he will receive his notice of disqualification.
The exclusion of Mr Chris Rioka from contesting ward 28 provincial seat in the upcoming bye-election left with four intending candidates,
- Mr David Gosia
- John Daubo Tafiiru
- Fr Alfred Funuka
- Reginald Maesugea
Poll for the provincial bye-elections of Ward 28 and 18 seats and West Kwaio constituency seat will be on September 21, 2022.
