Human Rights Protection Party

The unanimous decision was reached this week by 43 of the 45 incumbent caucus members.

The caucus also endorsed Deputy Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mataafa as Deputy Leader to assist Tuilaepa even though Fiame was absent due to illness.

Savali Newspaper reports this will be Tuilaepa’s tenth consecutive appointment as General Election leader with the caucus to decide on the next Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister if they are re-elected back into office by the country.

Laaulialemalietoa Leuatea Schmidt left the Human Rights Protection Party last week after a long-running dispute with leader and Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi.

The Electoral Commissioner confirmed the Gagaifomauga 3 constituency would not be going to the polls despite the Constitution stating a seat vacated by an MP who entered the House under a party would lead to a by-election.

La'auli Leuatea Polataivao Schmidt says he has accepted the call from his constituency to leave the HRPP.

This comes after weeks of La'auli refusing to accept party leader and Prime Minister Tuila'epa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi's statement that the MP was no longer a caucus member.

According to the Prime Minister, La'auli had breached party policy by not supporting a constitutional amendment for a new division of constituencies to be put in place in next year's general election.

The Samoa Observer newspaper reported La'aulialemalietoa Leuatea Polataivao saying Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi had no authority to sack him and he was being bullied by the Prime Minister.

However, Tuilaepa said on his radio broadcast that the now backbencher had been kicked out of the HRPP.

"I am not used to making threats, but the decision has been made; he has been sacked and he cannot come back to our party," he said.

He said he had tried to make it easier for the MP by asking him to resign from the party.

The government newspaper Savali reported Tuila'epa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi met with Faleata urban seat MP Faumuina Wayne Fong, where he urged to be supportive in caucus or quit the party.

Faumuina had been increasingly outspoken against planned constitutional reforms.

But Tuila'epa said none of the party's MPs were speaking out against the government because of policies and agreements they signed when they joined.

The prime minister also reminded Faumuina, during their meeting, that if he was an honest person he would make the right decision.

Faumuina Wayne Fong has confirmed on social media that Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi told him to resign because of a meeting he attended of his village of Gagaifo Lefaga last week.

At the meeting, the MP for the Faleata urban constituency voiced opposition to controversial government legislation currently before parliament.

Faumuina said the prime minister had no right to interfere with what has been discussed by the village.