By Staff Writer
Former Minister of Education Loau Keneti Sio is savouring his court win last week against alleged election violations that would have cost him his Sagaga No.1 seat in Parliament.
The court win was a huge relief after what he called an ugly post- election petition fight with FAST candidate and only rival in the general elections, Papali’i Tavita Panoa Moala.
Loau retained his electoral seat by a comfortable winning margin but the celebrations were cut short by a court summon to defend election allegations of bribery and treating by Papali’i.
A cat-and-mouse chase ensued as Loau tried to catch up with his rival to reconcile their election differences outside of court in an amicable way.
When the two finally met the former Cabinet Minister was slapped with a proposition by his rival that he forsake his HRPP party and stand as a candidate for FAST.
Papali’i would withdraw as a candidate to guarantee an uncontested by-election win for Loau.
The proposition was rejected and the matter went to court where the ruling favoured Loau and the actions he took as in keeping with acceptable cultural obligations.
He recounted quietly the horrors he was still trying to recover from when asked by Newsline Samoa, as he sat comfortably in the shades of the morning sun infront of his home at Faleula –uta last Friday.
“Right now I feel lighter with all the weight of this ugly turn of events stripped clean from my body,” the elected MP said in response to the court ruling.
Loau was the popular choice by the traditional leadership of chiefs and orators of his home village Faleula that made up the bigger section of the electoral community.
He was instrumental in redefining the electoral boundaries that separated the traditional ties with break-away village of Saleimoa, from the rest of the constituency, for electoral purposes only.
Papali’i had his political rights and he took his chances in the polls against Loau and lost.
“After avoiding my many attempts to meet he finally agreed for us to get together and that was when he proposed that I switched to FAST,” Loau revealed.
“The offer was diabolic and I was in shock when I went home and tried to work my head around it.”
Loau said the former leader of the Tautua Samoa Party, Palusalue Fa’apo II was with Papali’i when they met.
Palusalue left Tautua Samoa to run under the FAST political flag alongside Papali’i, a former member of the opposition party as well.
“ There was a follow up phone call to me from Papali’i while I was at home about his proposal but there was no other option for me but go to court.”
The feeling that he was being set up by the two FAST members was a hard swallow but he found comfort and assurance in the trust and support of his loyal constituents.
The court ruling win made the unpleasant experience ‘overwhelmingly sweet’ for Loau who was making the most of the good feeling all week.
Party leader and former Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi, shared Loau’s relief .
The added joy of the win finally breaking the disappointment of 7 straight court election petition losses for HRPP elected candidates was a much needed moral boost for the party.
“It was heavenly,” Tuilaepa said in a jolly mood sparked by the Loau win.
Both are set to give full support to all the party candidates running in the by-elections on a date yet to be set.