The Caretaker Minister of Education Sports and Culture, Loau Keneti Sio, has agreed to resign from office as a result of a post election challenge filed against him. 

Loau's resignation from political has resulted in the petition being dropped but it has also triggered a sixth by-election and brought the Human Rights Protection Party's (H.R.P.P.) numbers even lower. 

Loau's resignation will effectively reduce the current guaranteed number of H.R.P.P. representatives on the floor of Parliament to 19. The Faatuatua ile Atua Samoa ua Tasi (F.A.S.T.) party, by contrast, has a total of 26 seats. 

Papalii Tavita Moala who mounted the legal action over the legality of campaign activities in the seat of Sagaga No. 1 and had contested under the F.A.S.T. banner said he will not be running in the by-election.

Loau is the fourth elected M.P. from H.R.P.P. party to willfully resign from office as part of a settlement to have charges of breaching electoral law against them dropped.