 In April 2007, the party protested a reshuffle of the Kabui ministry which did not promote any of their MPs.In December 2007, government ministers Massat and Patrick Nisira resigned from the party to sit as independents in protest at a motion by their colleagues for the establishment of a formal opposition in Bougainville.The party endorsed Raymond Hakena, a former member of 1980s band Sanguma, in the 2008 presidential by-election after Kabui's death, but lost to James Tanis.