Southern Highlands political leader Peter Nupiri has congratulated all newly elected councillors across the province, praising electoral officials and communities for steering the Local Level Government (LLG) elections to a successful conclusion despite early challenges.
In a statement released on 21 November 2025, Mr Nupiri said the electoral process had “now formally concluded, as evidenced by the return of the writs today.” He commended the work of Election Manageress Grace Wong, her team of Assistant Returning Officers, polling officials and ward leaders, saying their “time, professionalism, and dedication” ensured a generally smooth election under demanding circumstances.
However, Mr Nupiri raised serious concerns about ongoing voter roll inflation, particularly in Nipa-Kutubu, Mendi and Imbongu. He said some hiccups experienced during polling stemmed from “common roll-inflation issues identified in the Nipa-Kutubu electorate,” but noted these were expected to be fixed during roll updates before the 2027 national elections.
Mr Nupiri outlined the province’s official voter numbers to emphasise the scale of the problem. “The official registered voter roll for Southern Highlands Province in the 2022 National Elections stood at 508,486 voters,” he said. Based on normal population trends, the roll for 2027 should sit “at approximately 530,000.”
He warned that “any figure significantly above this threshold must be treated as a serious irregularity and a potential attempt by individuals with vested interests to manipulate and defraud the electoral process.”
He described the inflation of voter rolls as a recurring and dangerous practice in parts of the province. “The insertion of fictitious names for political advantage is illegal and undermines the democratic rights of our people,” he stressed. He appealed to those responsible to “refrain immediately from such unlawful practices and to allow for a genuine, transparent, and lawful voter registration process to take place.”
Mr Nupiri also addressed those preparing to contest the presidency of more than 25 LLGs across Southern Highlands Province, wishing them well and declaring that he would not take sides. “On this occasion, I have chosen to remain strictly neutral, even though some of those contesting — including sitting presidents — are close friends and long-standing supporters,” he said. “It is only fair and proper that all candidates be given the opportunity to contest freely and without any perception of bias or undue influence.”
He concluded by calling on all stakeholders, candidates, communities and authorities to work together to promote “a peaceful, fair and transparent democratic process” as the province heads toward the 2027 National General Elections.
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