Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) President Ishmael Toroama has retained his seat after receiving over 90,000 votes in the 2025 general election.
According to a Radio New Zealand (RNZ) report on Monday, Toroama “surpassed the absolute majority of 69,629” once the quality check was completed.
This confirms Toroama’s mandate to lead Bougainville for the next five years.
His nearest contender, former Bougainville regional member Joe Lera, got 17,225 votes.
The ABG is a highly sub-national government in Papua New Guinea (PNG), with strong aspirations to soon become the first independent country since South Sudan in 2011. It has a population of around 350,000.
Prior to the polls, Toroama told RNZ that he was “not under pressure.”
Independence ‘a matter of time’
Toroama became a key negotiator of the 2001 peace agreement, then won the presidency in 2020 – after three unsuccessful attempts at winning lesser public office – pledging to be “the change that people have been crying for.”
For decades, he has been fighting for his island to claim its sovereignty.
“Bougainville is for independence,” the president insisted in a previous interview with The Guardian. “It is only a matter of time.”
Under an agreement signed with PNG, this year marks the earliest point at which Bougainville can claim full autonomy.
Despite feeling optimistic, Toroama said that Bougainville has far to go.
“That is the aspiration of the people and that is why they voted for me as their president,” he said.
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Marape congratulates Toroama
PNG Prime Minister James Marape offered his congratulations to Toroama after the result was confirmed.
He told PNG’s The National newspaper: “This is a strong expression of the will of the Bougainville people and I look forward to working closely with him to continue progressing the work that lies ahead of us under the Bougainville Peace Agreement.
“We are committed to dialogue that is peaceful, respectful, and in the best interests of both Bougainville and Papua New Guinea.”
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Hazel Camba 
Shameeka Voyiya 
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