Parties trying to form the next government have started the so-called “number-game”.
A party, never active in its campaign prior to the National General Election, the Independent Democratic Party (formerly Association of Independent Members) has suddenly popped up yesterday and is now in camp.
Led by Snyder Rini, Independent Democratic Party (IDP) has Honiara Hotel owner Sir Thomas Chan as its president.
"We have already started a coalition and we are now in camp at the Honiara Hotel," Secretary Leonard Kaitu'u told the Solomon Star yesterday.
Asked why IDP suddenly popped up just after the election to form a coalition, Mr Kaitu'u said IDP is a long established party.
"IDP started in 1997 under the name Association of the Independent Members of Parliament (AIMP).
"In 2004, AIMP was registered as an Independent Party under the current name IDP."
He said they were inactive prior to the election because they want to take a low profile campaign.
"We did it silently, but we have our platform policies," he said.
Mr Kaitu'u claimed that 19 IDP candidates have already won their respective constituencies seats.
"We contested in 47 constituencies and 19 have already won but the figure is expected to peak at 24 after the results of the remaining constituencies are known."
Asked to provide the list of names of the 19 members claimed, he said they decided not to release the names at this stage.
"We await the last four and for everyone to come over to Honiara before we could confirm the list."
He said IDP will partner with Job Duddley Tausinga’s Solomon Islands Party for Rural Advancement and People’s Alliance Party to form the next government.
"This proposed coalition is confident it will have the strength of about 42 MPs to form the new government, probably before the end of this month,” Mr Kaitu’u said.
By EDNAL PALMER
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