Golkar backs Ibo for Papua election

Golkar backs Ibo for Papua election

JAYAPURA, Papua: The Golkar Party has officially nominated Jhon Ibo as its candidate for Papua governor to replace Jacobus Perviddya Solossa who died of a heart attack late on Monday.

The party, the largest faction in the Papua Legislative Council, registered on Thursday the name of current council speaker Ibo with the regional election committee at the local legislature.

Vice President Jusuf Kalla who also leads the Golkar central board said on Wednesday his party had decided to nominate Ibo for the Papua gubernatorial election scheduled for January.

Ibo's bid, which is supported by the Justice and United Indonesia Party (PKPI), would be challenged by rival candidates -- former governor Barnabas Suaibu nominated by the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), and Lukas Enembe backed by the Prosperous Peace Party (PDS) and the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS). --Antara