Sam Abal
Samuel Tei Abal | |
|---|---|
| Born | June 26, 1958 Papua New Guinea |
| Occupation(s) | Politician, diplomat |
| Years active | 2007–present |
| Known for | Acting Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea (2010–2011), Foreign Minister (2007–2010), Deputy Prime Minister (2010) |
Samuel Tei Abal (born 26 June 1958) is a politician from Papua New Guinea. He held the position of Foreign Minister between August 2007 and December 2010. On 7 December 2010, during a cabinet reshuffle led by Michael Somare, he was appointed Deputy Prime Minister. Following Somare's resignation to address a tribunal concerning accusations of financial misconduct, Abal assumed the role of acting Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea on 13 December 2010. His tenure as acting Prime Minister concluded on 2 August 2011 when Peter O'Neill was elected Prime Minister through a parliamentary vote. Since October 2021, Abal has been serving as Papua New Guinea’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Japan.
Personal life
Abal is the offspring of Sir Tei Abal, who is recognized as one of the founding figures of Papua New Guinea.
Political career
Abal served as the parliamentary representative for the Wabag constituency in Enga Province. On 7 December 2010, Prime Minister Michael Somare appointed him Deputy Prime Minister, succeeding Don Polye amid internal political disputes. As a close ally of Somare and then Foreign Minister, Abal was positioned to act as Prime Minister during Somare’s leadership tribunal related to alleged discrepancies in financial reporting. According to Papua New Guinean law, Somare was required to step aside during the tribunal period, which led to Abal’s appointment as acting Prime Minister.
Acting Prime Minister
After Somare resigned on 13 December 2010, Abal was sworn in as acting Prime Minister. He continued in this capacity in April 2011 while Somare underwent heart surgery in Singapore and maintained the role until Somare formally retired in June 2011.
In June 2011, a female body was discovered at Abal’s residence in Port Moresby; his son Teo was detained as the primary suspect. Due to this investigation, Abal temporarily relocated.
By late June 2011, uncertainty surrounded Abal’s prospects for becoming permanent Prime Minister following Somare’s health-related retirement. The outcome depended on ongoing political developments.
2012 election
Following Dame Carol Kidu’s retirement in 2012, Abal assumed the position of deputy Opposition Leader. In June of that year, the Papua New Guinea Post-Courier indicated that Abal intended to contest the 2012 general election as an independent candidate, citing disillusionment with the party system that he believed contributed to governmental deadlock. He ultimately lost his parliamentary seat to People's Party candidate Robert Ganim.