Northland-based Samoans hope common sense prevails as homeland faces political uncertainty

Samoa's Prime Minister-elect Fiame Naomi Mata'afa takes her oath at an unofficial ceremony outside Parliament house. Photo / AP

Northland-based Samoans worried about the political turmoil back home hope the protracted election impasse doesn't turn violent.

The United Nations has waded in, calling on Samoa's leaders to come up with a solution in what has become a battle for leadership - as a new prime minister is sworn in, while another refuses to concede.

Fiame Naomi Mata'afa from Samoa's FAST party was named the country's first female prime minister on Monday in a ceremony her rival called "treason" after the Supreme Court broke a post-election deadlock by confirming her party had a 26-25 seat majority over HRPP.

However, the prime minister-elect was barred from entering the Parliament building after HRPP leader Tuilaepa Malielegaoi, who has been prime minister for 23 years, directed the Speaker to lock the doors.

Just before midnight on Saturday, Samoa's Head of State, Tuimaleali'ifano Va'aleto'a Sualauvi II, cancelled Monday's parliament sitting without explanation.

In an extraordinary hearing on Sunday, the Supreme Court overruled the head of state's decision.

On Sunday night, the speaker of the legislative assembly, a member of the caretaker HRPP, said he would abide by the head of state's call, not the Supreme Court ruling.

Ueli Sasagi, a Northlander whose late father-in-law Va'ai Kolone was twice the prime minister of Samoa, hopes the dispute won't result in a civil war between the different districts.

"Honestly, I don't know why Tuilaepa's party should not accept defeat. He argued the Supreme Court was wrong in deciding the other party was wrong so it's a conflict between the government, governor-general, and the court."

Mangawhai-based Sasagi said by insisting that overseas-based Samoans could not cast their votes by postal ballot, Malielegaoi's government completely underestimated their influence in the recent election.

"We send remittance back home yet we are being asked to travel to Samoa if we are to vote but it's too expensive. So the overseas-based Samoans asked their family and friends back home to vote against Tuilaepa."

Ueli Sasagi hopes the warring factions in Samoa resolve the leadership dispute amicably rather than physically. Photo / John Stone

He said Samoans were also unhappy with critical changes the Malielegaoi government made to the Constitution.

"I'd encourage them to keep peace and I hope they can resolve their differences. At the moment, both parties are not talking to each other and this is leading to the creation of different factions," Sasagi said.

Other Northland-based Samoans approached by the Northern Advocate expressed similar hope but preferred not to comment publicly.