# 2008 Nauruan parliamentary election

Parliamentary elections were held in Nauru on April 26, 2008, following the dissolving of Parliament by President Marcus Stephen on April 18. The decision came after what Stephen referred to as "months of political deadlock". Of the parliament's eighteen members, nine supported the Stephen government and nine were in opposition.

## Events leading to election

The deadlock had been exacerbated by a crisis between the President and the Speaker of Parliament, Opposition member David Adeang. On March 22, Adeang had called a Parliamentary session, allegedly without informing government ministers, who therefore did not attend. Opposition MPs, Adeang included, constituted a majority of legislators present, and passed a ruling outlawing dual citizenship for Members of Parliament. The ruling, if applied, would have affected senior Cabinet ministers Dr. Kieren Keke and Frederick Pitcher. Had they been compelled to resign from Parliament, the Opposition would have controlled a majority of seats in Parliament. The law was overturned as unconstitutional by the Supreme Court, and Adeang subsequently sought to suspend all pro-government MPs from Parliament, citing their allegedly "unruly behaviour". A week later, Stephen dissolved Parliament.
Two observers from the Pacific Islands Forum were present to monitor the election, at the request of the Nauruan government.
There were 65 candidates for the 18 seats, among whom were former Presidents Ludwig Scotty and René Harris.

## Results

All nine supporters of Stephen (Stephen himself, Kieren Keke, Mathew Batsiua, Roland Kun, Frederick Pitcher, Sprent Dabwido, former Speaker Riddell Akua, Dominic Tabuna and Rykers Solomon) were reelected, while three opposition MPs (former President René Harris, Cyril Buraman and Fabian Ribauw) lost their seats; the government claims it has thus won the election. Indeed, all three newly elected MPs joined the government and thereby ended the legislative deadlock. The new parliament was expected to hold its first session on 29 April 2008.
| Party | Party | Votes | % | Seats |
| Supporters of Marcus Stephen | Supporters of Marcus Stephen | | | 12 |
| Other candidates | Other candidates | | | 6 |
| Total | Total | | | 18 |
| Total votes | Total votes | 4,607 | – | |
| Registered voters/turnout | Registered voters/turnout | 5,235 | 88.00 | |
| Source: ABC Radio Australia, IPU |||||

### By constituency

| Constituency | Candidate | Votes | Notes |
| Aiwo | Dantes Tsitsi | 225.83 | Re-elected |
| Aiwo | Godfrey Thoma | 203.32 | Re-elected after previous defeat |
| Aiwo | Aaron Cook | 187.43 | |
| Aiwo | René Harris | 181.70 | Unseated |
| Aiwo | Preston Thoma | 152.77 | |
| Aiwo | Elkoga Gadabu | 136.75 | |
| Aiwo | Invalid/blank votes | 4 | |
| Aiwo | Total Votes Cast | 448 | |
| Anabar | Ludwig Scotty | 240.43 | Re-elected |
| Anabar | Riddell Akua | 227.67 | Re-elected |
| Anabar | Tyrone Deiye | 146.58 | |
| Anabar | James Deireragea | 146.52 | |
| Anabar | David Peter Gadaraoa | 125.06 | |
| Anabar | Espen Jubal Fritz | 105.12 | |
| Anabar | Andre Adun | 104.53 | |
| Anabar | Corey Menke | 100.96 | |
| Anabar | Christopher Agiar Quadina | 87.48 | |
| Anabar | Invalid/blank votes | 13 | |
| Anabar | Total Votes Cast | 467 | |
| Anetan | Marcus Stephen | 325.57 | Re-elected |
| Anetan | Landon Deireragea | 236.35 | Elected |
| Anetan | Cyril Buraman | 228.27 | Unseated |
| Anetan | Remy Namaduk | 211.02 | |
| Anetan | Fabian Ika | 181.57 | |
| Anetan | Invalid/blank votes | 6 | |
| Anetan | Total Votes Cast | 524 | |
| Boe | Mathew Batsiua | 266.88 | Re-elected |
| Boe | Baron Waqa | 229.18 | Re-elected |
| Boe | Vollmer Mercury Appi | 178.00 | |
| Boe | Bernard Grundler | 168.37 | |
| Boe | Morgan Solomon | 136.33 | |
| Boe | Samuel Robinen Angabwiy | 118.83 | |
| Boe | Invalid/blank votes | 2 | |
| Boe | Total Votes Cast | 450 | |
| Buada | Shadlog Bernicke | 193.30 | Re-elected |
| Buada | Roland Kun | 185.79 | Re-elected |
| Buada | Vinson Detenamo | 175.41 | |
| Buada | Monte Depaune | 150.95 | |
| Buada | Alexander George Stephen | 135.82 | |
| Buada | Lionel Abungidage Fritz | 114.13 | |
| Buada | Yvette Duburiya | 112.86 | |
| Buada | Invalid/blank votes | 8 | |
| Buada | Total Votes Cast | 420 | |
| Meneng | Rykers Solomon | 320.23 | Re-elected |
| Meneng | Sprent Dabwido | 316.20 | Re-elected |
| Meneng | Doneke Benedict Kepae | 225.19 | |
| Meneng | Dogabe Jeremiah | 207.75 | |
| Meneng | Nemo Levi Agadio | 187.62 | |
| Meneng | Russell David Daoe | 168.15 | |
| Meneng | Jeziel Jeremiah | 156.50 | |
| Meneng | Darius Rock | 147.62 | |
| Meneng | Joseph Laben Hiram | 144.22 | |
| Meneng | Davey Roxen Agadio | 137.62 | |
| Meneng | Rick Daoe | 136.04 | |
| Meneng | Invalid/blank votes | 25 | |
| Meneng | Total Votes Cast | 736 | |
| Ubenide | Freddie Pitcher | 481.59 | Re-elected |
| Ubenide | David Adeang | 406.76 | Re-elected |
| Ubenide | Valdon Dowiyogo | 383.00 | Re-elected |
| Ubenide | Aloysius Amwano | 308.47 | Re-elected after three previous defeats |
| Ubenide | Ruston Marcus Kun | 287.68 | |
| Ubenide | Fabian Ribauw | 260.03 | Unseated |
| Ubenide | Alf Itsimaera | 222.96 | |
| Ubenide | Renos Renige Agege | 190.52 | |
| Ubenide | Michael Grillo Dekarube | 183.29 | |
| Ubenide | Adonis Gioura | 183.09 | |
| Ubenide | Skipper Hiram | 176.89 | |
| Ubenide | Briar-Rose Alona | 173.74 | |
| Ubenide | Ceila Cecilia Giouba | 173.74 | |
| Ubenide | Michael Fury Roland | 169.59 | |
| Ubenide | Dempsey Keppa | 168.17 | |
| Ubenide | Invalid/blank votes | 48 | |
| Ubenide | Total Votes Cast | 1,184 | |
| Yaren | Dominic Tabuna | 227.83 | Re-elected |
| Yaren | Kieren Keke | 222.95 | Re-elected |
| Yaren | Charmaine Scotty | 166.90 | |
| Yaren | John Daigon Julius | 110.82 | |
| Yaren | Brian Joseph Amwano | 101.22 | |
| Yaren | Johnny Taumea Agadio | 91.48 | |
| Yaren | Invalid/blank votes | 2 | |
| Yaren | Total Votes Cast | 378 | |
| Source: Republic of Nauru Government Gazette, 26 April, 2008 ||||