FOUR major Political Parties are moving around to solidify their numbers to form a government ahead of the election of Prime Minister in the first or second week of December, it was revealed.
Under section 53 (3) of the Political Parties Integrity Act, it states that no Political Party may enter into a coalition agreement with any independent or group of independent Members of Parliament (MP) after election.
As such the 31 independent members, who won their seats, have to join Democratic Alliance Party (DAP), United Democratic Party (UDP), People Alliance Party (PAP), Solomon Islands Party for Rural Advancement (SIPRA), Kadere Party of Solomon Islands (KPSI) and Solomon Islands People First Party (SIPFP).
DAP recorded the highest number of winning candidates in the recent election with 7, followed by UDP-5, PAP-3, SIPRA-2, KPSI-1 and SIPFP-1.
One informer said it has emerged that DAP led by Steve Abana and SIPRA headed by ousted caretaker Prime Minister, Gordon Darcy Lilo, plan to enter into a coalition agreement.
While UDP led by Danny Philip and PAP, whose wing leader is Milner Tozaka, are on the other camp, trying to sort their agreement as well.
The informer said most of the re-elected MP who contested the recent election as independent members are shadow members of these four bigger parties.
“They contested the election as independent members but are registered under these political parties.
“So when they won the election, they will just go straight to their own political parties,” the informer said.
According to another source, it was revealed that former MPs, Charles Sigoto and Lionel Alex are registered members of SIPRA but they contested the election as independents members.
The Solomon Star understands lobbying is intensifying by these four major parties to lure other members of the smaller parties like KPSI and SIPFP to join them.
Under PPIA subsection 54 (6), (7) and (8), a coalition agreement lodged with and accepted by the Registrar is binding on the parties to it.
The Commission must, not later than 20 days before any election day publish in a newspaper and any other means the names of any political parties that have signed a coalition agreement.
A coalition agreement that is not received and published by the Commission as required under subsection (7) is deemed to be an agreement entered into after an election.
By EDDIE OSIFELO
