By Staff Writer
The nomination of General Election candidates closed last week and under the normal sequence of events, legal challenges on who is or is not eligible to run are up next.
But motions of challenge in court have to be filed before the short deadline expires.
Under section 9 of the Act… “ a candidate may, by motion and no later than noon of the 3rd day after nomination, challenge the qualification of another candidate under section 8 in the Supreme Court for an order to disqualify that other candidate.”
The more common complaints in the past are of candidates who have not stayed in Samoa for a minimum three (3 ) years or has not provided ‘monotaga’ .
Under the Electoral Act ‘ monotaga’ is defined as … “the compulsory service, assistance or contribution (such as, contribution in form of cash, kind or goods) rendered for customary, traditional or religious activities, events, function or similar purposes pursuant to the customs of a particular village.”
A total of 200 nominated candidates were registered with the Office of the Electoral Commissioner before the deadline last Friday.
Upolu nominated a total of 127 or 63.5 per cent of all the candidates standing for election out of the 31 of the 51 Electoral Constituencies in Samoa.
Savai’i with only 73 nominations from 20 of the Electoral Constituencies on the bigger island made up 36.5 per cent of the total number of candidates standing for election.
But of the 22 women nominated as candidates, 13 or 59 per cent are from Savaii, four (4) are current sitting MPs including the Minister of Health Faimalotoa Kika Stowers.
Based on the total number of nominations, the average number of candidates, works out to about 4 per Electoral Constituency.
The most number of candidates nominated for one Electoral Constituencies was recorded in Savaii at Palauli 1 and Palauli 3 with seven (7) candidates each.
The two Savai’i Electoral Constituencies at Gagaemauga 2 and Gagaifomauga 3 each recorded the lowest number of candidates nominated of two (2) each.
Upolu, however, recorded the only unopposed candidates nominated in three (3) of the Electoral Constituencies.
The Minister of Education, Loau Keneti Sio, was the only nomination for Sagaga 1 at the close of registrations on Friday,
The Associate Minister of Communication, Lealailepule Rimoni Aiafi, is the lone choice for Faleata 3.
Former Deputy Prime Minister and now an Independent MP, Fiame Naomi Mataafa, is the third uncontested candidate for the Lotofaga Electoral Constituency.
The Minister of Women and Social Community, Tuitama Dr. Talalelei Tuitama is the only current sitting Member of Cabinet who is not seeking re-election.
The Prime Minister, Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi, is up against the challenge of two other nominated candidates from the Lepa Electoral Constituency.
The Government Human Rights Protection Party is being challenged for political leadership by the Tautua Samoa, FAST and Samoa First political parties when the country go to the polls next year, 2021.
