leadership allegations, reports the Post Courier.
The advice to the prime minister to step down is also based on protecting his integrity, the party and the nation as a whole.
The prime minister’s tenuous position has led to fierce lobbying between factions in the government, with the chief’s own son, Arthur, tipped to contest the leadership.
Another faction is reportedly led by treasurer and close Somare confidante Patrick Pruaitch.
Government insiders said this was not looking good and the split by these ministers might send wrong signals to the nation for the government.
Insiders in Parliament said the situation had resulted in Pruaitch and Somare breaking off their previously friendly relations.
Government insiders also told the Post-Courier that a senior minister who had been giving advice on the matter of stepping down had also made moves to ask the Ombudsman Commission to refer this very senior minister to the public prosecutor for misconduct in office.
This senior minister had also made moves to refer the other minister to the public prosecutor for misconduct of public funds.
The government ranks were also concerned there was a specific faction mobilizing and watching the moves of these leaders.
“This faction, if it decides to make a move now, the government of the day will look really bad in the eyes of the nation. Our government leaders, especially the ministers of the day, have to be very careful on what they do and they must have at the back of their minds that people of the nation are watching very closely,” insiders said.
“They are running a nation that belongs to millions of people… hey are not running their own businesses and must be accountable to the people of this nation. The government, if not careful now, may see many of the members from the government benches making shocking moves. People are already suffering from the day to day increase of basic food and services that is affecting the nation at large and they do not want a government as such.”
