The Gagaifomauga No. 2 Member-elect says his decision to join the new Government was a choice made by his Lefagaoalii village and he intends to honour that. 

Fo’isala Lilo Tu’u, who ran as an independent candidate, won the Gagaifomauga No. 2 by-election which was held early this month after the passing of the former Member, late Vaele Paia’aua Sekuini.

He was officially presented to the Fa’atuatua ile Atua Samoa ua Tasi (F.A.S.T.) party on Monday during a ceremony held at the Maota Samoa Convention Centre in Vaitele-uta. 

The Chairman of F.A.S.T. and deputy leader, La’auli Leautea Schmidt accepted the presentation of the Member-elect to join the party. 

Speaking to the media, Fo’isala said his village of Lefagaoalii chose the party that he will now join and work with in the remaining parliamentary term.

He said the agreement before the by-election was for him to run as an independent candidate backed by the F.A.S.T. party. 

According to the Member-elect, he cannot remember the last time someone from his Lefagaoalii village won an election, and his winning of the by-election is an opportunity to carry his village name into office. 

He recalled there were two former M.P.s from his constituency who were from his village over 20 years ago, Afioge Maia and Sifuiva Sione. 

The constituency of Gagaifomauga No. 2 comprises the villages of Samauga, Paia, Lefagaoalii, Leagiagi, Matavai, Safune, Faletagaloa and Fatuvalu. 

Foisala said he is a servant of his constituency and he will try his best to serve his electorate. 

The father of two said he is keen to continue the work of the late Vaele, in developing the constituency and pointed to the sea and the land, as the primary source of wealth for the district. 

The village of Lefagaoalii as well as representatives from the district attended the event to present their Member-elect to the F.A.S.T. Government. 

At the conclusion of the by-election's official count, a total of 441 ballots out of 1,370 people who voted went to Fo'isala, making him the Member-elect of the constituency. 

The Human Rights Protection Party (H.R.P.P.) endorsed candidate So'oalo Fineaso Poka collected 380 votes to be the runner-up. 

The other Independent candidate, Falesaopule Vaialia Iosua polled 287 votes while F.A.S.T. party-endorsed Lomia Tauloa Moafanua picked up 259 votes.

Out of the 2,031 eligible voters registered on the constituency's electoral roll only 1,370 people voted in the by-election on 3 June.