Vice-President of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville

Vice-President of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville
Emblem of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville
since 21 October 2025
AppointerPresident
Term lengthFive years, renewable once
Inaugural holderJoseph Watawi
Formation15 June 2005

The vice-president of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville is the second highest office in the province, which is an autonomous region of Papua New Guinea. The current vice-president is Ezekiel Massat, who was sworn in on 21 October 2025 after his appointment by President Ishmael Toroama.[1]

The vice-president is appointed by the president from among the members of the House of Representatives from one region other than the region from which the president comes from.[2]

List of vice-presidents of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville

No. Vice-President Took office Left office Tenure Party Election President
1 Joseph Watawi
(1960–2021)
15 June 2005 15 May 2007[a] 1 year, 334 days Bougainville People's Congress 2005 Joseph Kabui
2 John Tabinaman
(c. 1952–2021)
[3][4]
15 May 2007 19 January 2009[b] 1 year, 249 days Unknown –
– Mathias Salas
(born TBA)
Acting

[5]
7 June 2008 19 January 2009 226 days Bougainville People's Congress – John Tabinaman
3 Ezekiel Massat
(born TBA)
1st time
19 January 2009 10 June 2010 1 year, 142 days Independent 2008 James Tanis
4 Patrick Nisira
(born 1972)
1st time

[6][7]
10 June 2010 22 February 2017[c] 6 years, 257 days Independent 2010 John Momis
2015
5 Raymond Masono
(?–2021)
[7]
22 February 2017 25 September 2020 3 years, 216 days Unknown –
(4) Patrick Nisira
(born 1972)
2nd time

[8]
25 September 2020 21 October 2025 5 years, 26 days Independent 2020 Ishmael Toroama
(3) Ezekiel Massat
(born TBA)
2nd time

[9]
21 October 2025 Incumbent 314 days Independent 2025

Notes

  1. ↑ Watawi was dismissed from the vice-presidency by President Joseph Kabui after an incident of public drunkenness.
  2. ↑ Tabinaman acceded to the presidency upon the death of President Joseph Kabui.
  3. ↑ Nisira resigned from the vice-presidency in order to contest the 2017 Papua New Guinean general election.

References

  1. ↑ "President Toroama announces new Bougainville Executive Council". abg.gov.pg.
  2. ↑ "Parliament".
  3. ↑ "ABG names new vice-president". Island Business. 21 May 2007. Archived from the original on 2011-07-13. Retrieved 28 January 2009.
  4. ↑ Tabinaman sworn-in as vice-president Archived September 27, 2007, at the Wayback Machine (Post-Courier Online, 16 May 2007)
  5. ↑ "Top public servants in Bougainville face sack over financial irregularities". RNZ. 4 December 2008. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
  6. ↑ Laukai, Aloysius (10 June 2010). "Momis sworn in, Caretaker announced". New Dawn FM 95.3. Retrieved 13 June 2010.
  7. 1 2 "New ABG Vice President". Autonomous Region of Bougainville. 22 February 2017. Retrieved 22 March 2017.
  8. ↑ "STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT ON THE OCCASION OF THE SWEARING-IN CEREMONY OF THE CARETAKER GOVERNMENT". Archived from the original on 2020-10-03.
  9. ↑ "President Toroama announces new Bougainville Executive Council". abg.gov.pg.