Chan maintains lead

Former  Namatanai MP and People's Progress Party [PPP] candidate, James Byron Chan, is still leading the New Ireland Provincial by-election seat race, as of 2 pm this afternoon.

Mr. Chan is currently leading with 17,967 votes, while in second place with a total votes difference of 1,945 votes, is Independent candidate, Kepas Aruban Wali, with 16, 022 votes.

On third place is former Namatanai Local Level Government President, and National Alliance candidate, Joshua Takin Soi with 9,105 votes, and running fourth is Hosea Kalis with 1,821 votes, and is backed by Our Party.

Running fifth is Independent candidate Chris Gai with 1, 580 votes.

The four LLG's of Tanir, Nimamar, Namatanai, and Tikana, have completed all their primary counts, and are now into quality checks, while Sentral Niu Ailan, which is the largest with 22 wards, has  2 remaining boxes to be counted.

Counting concluded at 6:00 pm this evening.