Acting President John Tabinaman said the executive council has decided to stick to the constitution and go to a by-election to find a successor of the former president, Joseph Kabui, who died of a heart attack last month.
Tabinaman said the acting administrator has been directed to draw up a budget for the presidential by-election.
The by-election will also cover the Ramu electorate in Siwai which was left vacant when its representative, Moses Koiri, resigned to contest the 2007 national elections.
