By Samisoni Pareti
A junior minister in the previous government of Baron Waqa is the new President of Nauru.
Lionel Aingimea won the presidential vote 12 to 6 against David Adeang when the island republic’s new parliament held its first meeting today after last weekend’s general elections.
In winning the presidency, Aingimea, a public and human rights lawyer, sinks the final nail in the coffin of the administration of Baron Waqa and his finance and justice minister Adeang.
Waqa was the first casualty in the results of the elections last Saturday where he was soundly beaten at the polls in his home constituency of Boe.
And although his right hand man Adeang won his seat comfortably, he was unable to muster enough support to secure the presidency.
Adeang is now relegated to the opposition.
As a public lawyer, Aingimea served under Adeang as secretary of justice in the ministry of justice that Adeang headed.
He later served as assistant to Adeang in the previous government of Baron Waqa.
