A FORMER Archbishop of the Anglican Church of Melanesia (ACOM), Reverend George Angus Takeli is contesting the Ulawa-Ugi Constituency Seat in this year’s National General Election (NGE).
Rev Takeli is contesting the seat for the second time. He first contested in the 2019 NGE after resigning from the ecclesiastical leadership position.
He was amongst some of the powerful contenders for the seat in the 2019 NGE having contested alongside contesting alongside Willie Bradford Marau who first secured the seat in the 2014 NGE, James Tora who was unseated by Marau in 2014, former Attorney General Billy Titiulu as well as a former Electoral Chief, Polycarp Haununu. Marau emerged the winner, retaining the seat for the second team with a landslide victory.
Rev Takeli who came second secured only a total of 476 votes and Titiulu who came third received only 448 votes.
However, Rev Takeli despite his unsuccessful first round of contest, is making a comeback in this year under the banner of the Peoples’ Alliance Party (PAP), one of the first established political parties in the country.
Rev Takeli completed his campaigns on Ugi Island and is now campaigning on Ulawa Island after launching his campaign program at Ahia Village on Sunday 7April.
Rev Takeli, also a former Bishop of the Diocese of Temotu, was the sixth Archbishop of ACOM.
He served as archbishop from 2016 to 2019 before resigning to contest the NGE. He was succeeded by the current archbishop Most Reverend Leonard Dawea.
65-year-old Rev Takeli hails from Suholo village on Ulawa Island in Makira-Ulawa Province.
A total of nine candidates will be contesting for the Ulawa-Ugi Constituency Seat.
By Lionel Taorao
MASI Stringer
Ulawa
