North Gorontalo – The Repeat Voting (PSU) for the 2024 North Gorontalo Regent and Deputy Regent Election marked a significant milestone in Indonesia’s democratic journey. The Constitutional Court’s (MK) decision to reject the dispute petition regarding the PSU results confirms that all stages of the process were conducted in accordance with the law and democratic principles.
Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court, Suhartoyo, stated in the ruling that the petition filed by candidate pair number 1, Roni Imran–Ramdhan Mapeliey, was inadmissible due to a vote margin exceeding the legal threshold as stipulated in Article 158 Paragraph 2 Letter a of Law Number 10 of 2016.
“The petition did not meet the requirements because the vote margin reached 2,640, while the maximum allowable margin is 1,475 votes,” emphasized Constitutional Court Justice Enny Nurbaningsih.
Moreover, the alleged violations that formed the basis of the lawsuit were not legally proven. Justice Ridwan Mansyur clarified that the accusations of vote-buying against candidate pair number 2 were unfounded. He also confirmed the validity of the educational certificate submitted by Deputy Regent candidate Nurjana Hasan Yusuf, stating that it was issued by an authorized institution.
“There is no convincing evidence of violations that are structured, systematic, and massive in nature,” he added.
From the supervisory perspective, Fadli Bukoting, Coordinator for Legal Affairs, Prevention, Public Participation, and Public Relations at the North Gorontalo Election Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu), stated that the entire PSU process had been monitored transparently and accountably.
“The submission of this final report is a form of accountability for the monitoring carried out openly,” he said.
This was echoed by Idris Usuli, Chair of the Gorontalo Provincial Bawaslu, who confirmed that no serious violations were found during the PSU.
“The objection memorandum was declared inadmissible. The process followed applicable regulations,” he explained.
Appreciation also came from the General Elections Commission (KPU) of Indonesia. KPU Commissioner Yulianto Sudrajat stated that the successful PSU was the result of hard work by polling officers (KPPS) and all involved stakeholders.
“Support for KPPS in maintaining integrity was crucial in ensuring a fair and honest PSU,” he noted.
Meanwhile, fellow KPU Commissioner Iffa Rosita urged all parties to graciously accept the final outcome.
“I hope all candidate pairs show maturity in responding to this result,” said Iffa.
The post-PSU situation in North Gorontalo has remained calm and orderly. This stands as evidence that Indonesia’s democratic system has effective corrective mechanisms. Accepting the PSU result is not merely procedural—it is a tangible expression of respect for the Constitution and the rule of law. Now is the time for all elements of society and stakeholders to come together, using the election result as a foundation to build a more advanced and prosperous North Gorontalo.
