Sāmoa’s Deputy Prime Minister resigns, seeks review of court ruling

Sāmoa’s Deputy Prime Minister Toelupe Maoiautele Poumulinuku Onesemo has resigned from his Cabinet roles, saying the move was necessary to protect the integrity of government.

Toelupe confirmed at a press conference on Monday that he had tendered his resignation earlier that day.

“This is my own decision; it is not something that was asked of me by the Prime Minister,” he said.​

The resignation follows a ruling by the Electoral Court on 24 March that declared the Falealili I seat vacant after finding the corrupt practice of bribery.

The court found that a voter had received ST$150 (NZ$91) on the eve of polling during the 2025 general election.

The court found the payment was made by an agent to influence the vote. Under section 116 of the Electoral Act 2019, the court voided the election, leaving the seat vacant.

Voters waiting to cast their ballots - August 2025. Photo/File

Under Sāmoa’s electoral law, decisions on election petitions are generally final although parties may seek a limited review.

Toelupe has filed an application for review and according to Talamua Media, he lodged two motions on 30 March: one to stay the Electoral Court’s decision and another to review the ruling.

Eight election petitions were filed in September 2025 after the August 29 general election. Four were withdrawn before trial. The remaining cases proceeded through the Electoral Court, resulting in two MPs ultimately losing their seats.

Toelupe won the district seat for the FAST party with 941 of the 1787 valid votes. His closest opponent, Tuiloma Tusa Laniselota Lameko, came second with 617 votes. Photo/File

After filing petitions and counter-petitions in September, both Toelupe and his Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP) opponent, Tuiloma Tusa Laniselota Lameko, sought to withdraw their petitions, citing peace in the constituency.

The HRPP moved to continue proceedings. The court ruled the allegations were too serious to dismiss and allowed the case to proceed.

Toelupe criticised how the case continued. “Our district wanted to withdraw this case. But we weren’t accepted,” he said. “But the other side was accepted, I don’t know where they come from.”

Official election results from the August 29 General Elections. Photo/Office of the Electoral Commission

Toelupe won the district seat for Faatuatua i le Atua Sāmoa ua Tasi (FAST) party with 941 of the 1787 valid votes. His closest opponent, Tuiloma, came second with 617 votes.

In its written judgement, the Electoral Court stated that elections must be free and fair, and “even small bribes will erode trust in democratic institutions”. It also stated that “no one is above the law”.

The court recorded evidence of an alleged ST$100,000 (NZ$62,000) payment linked to the attempted withdrawal of petitions, but made no finding on the claim and referred the matter to the Attorney-General’s Office.

Prime Minister Laaulialemalietoa Leuatea Polataivao Schmidt said at a media conference on 25 March that he was saddened by the outcome but respected the court’s decision and acknowledged the impact on government and cabinet operations.

He said cabinet responsibilities will be redistributed, with the Works, Transport and Infrastructure portfolio previously held by Toelupe possibly added to his list.

HRPP leader Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi said the case highlights a broader problem of vote-buying. “Votes are bought by people who have the resources. It’s dirty, and it’s breaking the law,” he said.

Watch (Sāmoan) the resignation announcement by Toelupe below.

The ruling reduces the government’s parliamentary numbers from 32 to 31. The government still holds a working majority in the 51-seat House.

The Office of the Electoral Commissioner told PMN News that the by-election process begins once the Speaker formally notifies the commission that a seat is vacant. Under the Electoral Act 2019, the commissioner must then issue a writ within 21 days to start the process of filling the vacancy, with a by-election usually held within three months.

The commission did not indicate that Toelupe's application for review would delay or affect the timing of the by-election.

PMN News has sought comment from government officials on the next steps, including parliamentary and executive government processes from the Ministry of the Prime Minister and Cabinet and the Legislative Assembly.