PNG Dei By-Election: Sam Koim Overtakes Ekil After Key Elimination Round

​Papua New Guinea’s Dei By-Election race has taken a dramatic turn, with former anti-corruption advocate Sam Koim moving into the lead following a decisive elimination round in the counting process.

The shift in momentum came during elimination 21 when candidate James Pini was excluded from the race after polling 14,355 votes, triggering a redistribution of preferences that reshaped the standings among the remaining candidates.
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For much of the count, Independent candidate and philanthropist Tui Ekil had held a consistent lead since Day One, but the latest preference distribution has pushed him into second place, tightening the contest between the two frontrunners.

According to the latest tally figures, Koim now leads with 21,994 votes, while Ekil follows closely with 21,550 votes, leaving a narrow margin of just 444 votes between them.

Desmond Paul Kipa remains in third position with 19,803 votes, while James Memba Weiya occupies fourth place with 15,967 votes as counting progresses.

Election officials confirmed that the current absolute majority stands at 39,658 votes, indicating that further eliminations will be required before a winner can be declared.

Counting was officially suspended at 2:45pm, with only two more candidates left to be excluded before the final outcome of the Dei By-Election is determined.

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