Seoule Simeon

The position was put to vote this afternoon after Shadrack tendered his resignation effective immediately.

Simeon resigned as a Minister to stand as a candidate.

He polled 32 votes against 16 for Ephraim Boereve from the Opposition.

After the election, Shadrack congratulated his successor and urged him to be neutral and impartial.

Shadrack is locked in a dispute with the Government after he declared the seats of 19 Government members including Prime Minister Bob Loughman vacant for missing three sittings of Parliament.

Parliament's Speaker, Seoule Simeon, has ruled that Gracia Shadrack, MP for Malekula, should lose his seat for missing three consecutive sittings.

The Daily Post reports that Mr Shadrack, an Opposition MP, is to challenge the decision in court.

The Opposition claims that Mr Shadrack had been absent for medical reasons.

It claims that a letter explaining this was provided to parliamentary staff and should have reached the Speaker's office.