East Sepik Governor Allan Bird has announced he will not seek re-election after the 2027 general election, declaring his decade-long political mission accomplished and vowing to make way for new leadership.
In a statement released today, Bird said his decision followed extensive consultations with supporters across Papua New Guinea. "Retirement should be a planned event," he wrote. "No one should feel like they are God's gift to the country. You do your job, you leave, and make way for the next person."
Bird, first elected in 2017, said he had always intended to serve only two terms. By 2027, he expects all key development milestones for East Sepik to be completed, including his central goal of demonstrating that "a province can be turned around" through disciplined governance.
Despite private sector opportunities awaiting him, Bird acknowledged the call from his constituents—including the 127,414 voters who gave him first-preference votes in 2022—to contest one final election.
In a significant shift, he revealed plans to join a small party of "strongly principled and like-minded MPs" ahead of the 2027 polls, with formal details to be announced later this month. The move signals his intent to challenge PNG's political status quo.
"We do not subscribe to the big man, brinkmanship politics that has dominated recent years," Bird stated. His new political vehicle will prioritise power-sharing, equality and unprecedented transparency, with party operations managed entirely online.
The outgoing governor framed his final campaign as a crusade against systemic corruption, pledging to "disrupt the political structures that keep our people in bondage" and restore public confidence in eroded institutions.
"To every Papua New Guinean who desires a better future," Bird concluded, "I seek your mandate in 2027 not for myself, but to change the course of our country."
Political analysts suggest Bird's planned departure marks a rare example of voluntary power relinquishment in PNG politics, where incumbency advantage often leads to prolonged careers. His announcement comes as the nation grapples with ongoing debates about political succession and anti-corruption reforms.
The 2027 election is expected to test whether Bird's model of term-limited, reform-oriented leadership can gain broader traction in Papua New Guinea's political landscape.