20 Jan 2003

More Presidential challenges likely in Nauru

5:34 pm on 20 January 2003

Veteran politician and former Nauru President, Kinza Clodumar says he may challenge Bernard Dowiyogo, who was elected President at the weekend.

Mr Clodumar says Mr Dowiyogo's failure to secure a parliamentary majority leaves him open to leadership challenges.

Mr Clodumar and Mr Dowiyogo contested the presidency after Rene Harris surrendered it, a day after being reinstated by the courts.

The duo had won eight votes each leaving the Speaker to cast the deciding vote in favour of Mr Dowiyogo because of an MP filing an invalid ballot.

Mr Clodumar says that both he and Mr Dowiyogo are lobbying for the support of the MP who holds the balance of power.

"As far as we can see he has not yet got command of the house... the situation is still fluid until this lone vote can be harnessed ....the natural thing for us is to try and assertain from the person as to where he stands on several issues... we are still trying to see how best to do it"

Kinza Clodumar

Mr Dowiyogo is expected to announce his cabinet line up today.