Political stalemate has PNG seeing double

By ABC PNG correspondent Liam Fox

The situation in Papua New Guinea is becoming increasingly confusing and there is no end to the political stalemate in sight.

In the latest development, Peter O'Neill has been sworn in as prime minister by the man he has designated as the interim governor-general.

Mr O'Neill earlier announced he was suspending governor-general Sir Michael Ogio because he had failed to live up to his responsibilities.

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Speaker Geoffrey Nape then said he was the acting governor-general and swore in Mr O'Neill as the country's prime minister and several MPs as ministers.

It is unclear what if any effect this will have on his rival Sir Michael Somare.

This morning Sir Michael Ogio, who has been the governor-general since the start of the year, swore in 19 members of Sir Michael Somare's cabinet.

The country now has two prime ministers, two cabinets, two governors-general and two police commissioners.

The prime minister's seat was declared vacant in August while Sir Michael was out of the country receiving medical treatment.

Earlier this week the Supreme Court ruled that his removal from office in August was unlawful and ordered he be reinstated.

But Mr O'Neill maintains he is the country's legitimate leader.

On Tuesday afternoon he and 60 other MPs broke through a police barricade at government house and demanded to see Sir Michael Ogio, shouting "we're unarmed and we're the legitimate government".

Through his secretary, the governor-general urged the parties to sort out the issue among themselves.

Sir Michael, 75, has been in politics for almost 50 years and became his country's first prime minister when it became independent in 1975.

He was sidelined by illness earlier this year, travelling to Singapore for heart surgery.

His family announced his resignation in June without consulting Sir Michael, who they said was in intensive care and too ill to discuss his future.

But Sir Michael maintained he was still the country's leader and there had "never been any vacancy in the position of prime minister".

Video Source: ABC News Australia