The Faatuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi party has endorsed Leiu Lamositele Ioane Sio to challenge the Anoamaa No.2 seat. The seat was held by the Human Rights Protection deputy leader, Lauofo Fonotoe Pierre. 

Leiu won’t be the only candidate from the FAST party vying for that seat; Toomata Norah Leota is also contesting the same seat. This will be the first time for Leiu to challenge Lauofo, while it is the second for Toomata. 

Lauofo was first elected to the Legislative Assembly of Samoa in a by-election in 2005. He was re-elected in the 2006 general election. For the 2011 election, he was uncontested after a Tautua Party candidate was declared ineligible.

He was then appointed as the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Labour, Industry and Commerce. He successfully won his seat back in 2016 but was not appointed to the cabinet. He won his seat again in 2021, when Toomata Norah was one of the candidates running against him.

The FAST chairman, Laauli Leuatea, in his previous statements, made it clear that the party wants to have one candidate from each district. For constituencies that have presented two or more candidates, they will discuss and deliberate on who should contest. 

The Office of the Electoral Commissioner has announced that nominations for candidates start on 7 July and end on 12 July.