[8] Five candidates contested the presidential election: Joseph Kabui, John Momis, James Tanis, Joel Banam and Bartholomew Kigina.
[11] Kabui also argued that Bougainville's chiefs should be more involved in the government, suggesting similar formalised councils to those in Vanuatu and Fiji, in order to promote grassroots input.
[15] Momis said he aimed to form a consensus-style government on Bougainville after the election,[16] and to build a sense of unity on the island, such as through awareness programs to involve youth in development.
Ona declared the unrecognised Kingdom of Me'ekamui in the central region of the island that his forces controlled, which became known as the 'No Go Zone' as local authorities were unable to enter.
[25] However, on 22 March Ona emerged from the No Go Zone for the first time in 16 years to make a speech to a crowd of about 150 people in Arawa, calling for Australia and Papua New Guinea to recognise the independence of Bougainville as Me'ekamui and leave the island.
[26][27] A week later Ona held a second rally to a crowd of 200, rejecting the legitimacy of the vote for an autonomous government on the grounds that Bougainville had already declared independence.
[29] Momis and Deputy Governor Gerard Sinato alleged that Australian nationals, described as 'two fugitives', were influencing Ona to disrupt the election and had accompanied him to the rallies.
[30][31] Government figures raised concerns Ona's activities would disrupt the election,[32] and Momis called a meeting of Bougainvillean leaders in response.
[33][34] On 5 April chiefs representing the Leitana Council of Elders, John Momis and Joseph Kabui unanimously issued a call for Ona to join the peace process and rebuffing his rejection of the election.
[37] Joseph Kabui was elected first President of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville ahead of second-place candidate John Momis on 20,000 votes.
[36] During the election, Momis alleged that thousands of Bougainvilleans had been excluded from voting as their names were not on the electoral rolls, threatening to seek a legal injunction to stop the count.
[42] The election was monitored by international observers including from New Zealand, the Pacific Islands Forum and the Commonwealth of Nations, who considered it to be transparently and competently conducted.