Samoa general elections

Seulu Esau Westerlund has his withdrawn his nomination as a candidate for the parliamentary seat for Aiga i le Tai.

Five candidates remain to contest the election.

Tupuola Mano Tevaseu Sola Siaosi has also withdrawn his candidacy to contest Siumu constituency.

The OEC published the withdrawals of nomination Wednesday.  

Last week, former Chief Justice Patu Falefatu Sapolu withdrew his nomination for the Vaimauga 2 constituency.

Over 200 candidates have nominated to contest the election.

CEO, Lemauga Hobart Va’ai said the submission will reference the recently completed Business Confidence Survey 2020.

He made the comment at a special presentation by the Ministry of Finance.

It was the first members meeting of the chamber of commerce, this year.

Electoral Commissioner Faimalo Mathew Lemisio says there were 24 HRPP and 16 FAST candidates at the close of registrations around 4pm yesterday afternoon.

“We had very minor issues on first day with canidates’ documentation but once those were clarified, everything went smoothly.”

Of the 47 Savaii candidates, there were seven women including 4 who are current Members of Parliament.

Four of Samoa’s five women MPs are all from Savaii.

Electoral Commissioner Faimalomatumua Mathew Lemisio has confirmed that after two days, the number of FAST candidates edges ahead of the ruling HRPP party by one.

“So far 34 candidates’ nominations have been accepted;

“Of that number, 15 are HRPP, 16 from FAST, 1 Tautua and 1 Independent,” said the Electoral Commissioner.

Faimalomatumua adds that six of the registered candidates to date, are women.

Electoral commissioner Faimalomatumua Mathew Lemisio told TV1 Samoa 12,000 new voters have registered so far.

"Going on figures from the last census, we had targeted 11,500 so this number is good," he said.

Faimalomatumua said his office has gone to great lengths to register all eligible voters visiting villages, schools and offices to ensure everyone is registered.

"Anyone who is eligible to vote but fails to register will face a fine of over US$760."

"We still have registrations being done at all the Police sub stations around the country," he said.

Fiame resigned last week and the veteran politican says she will remain an independent for the rest of the current parliamentary term.

She says the implication of joining another party now that she has left the governing HRPP was that she would lose her seat immediately which she did not want.

Fiame has made it clear she wants to run in next April's Elections and says she has discussed this with her former leader and Prime Minister, Tuila'epa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi.

The new party was officially announced by the Electoral Commissioner on Wednesday after its registration.

The leader of the Sovereign Independent Samoa party, Fesola'i Logomalieimatagi Tepa Toloa, said their aim was to make legislation to give people the freedom to manage their heritage and natural resources.

Fesola'i, who ran in the 2006 election, also supported the current controversial proposed bills regarding the separation of the Lands and Titles court.