The Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP) has selected former Deputy Prime Minister Lauofo Fonotoe Luafesili Pierre Lauofo as their Deputy Leader for the next five years. The voting by secret ballot was carried out last night during a caucus meeting.
The HRPP Party have been camped at their Mulinuu Headquarters – Maota o Peseta – since the day after the April 9th general elections.
A reliable source within the HRPP caucus told Samoa Global News the selection was made last night by way of secret ballot.
“Fonotoe was voted by members of the caucus with the belief that he has the experience to assist our leader well,” the source says.
“He had a good majority of the votes and support from members…”
Fonotoe has been a Member of Parliament for the past 16 years, first elected to the Legislative Assembly of Samoa after a by-election in 2005. He was subsequently re-elected at the 2006 general election.
Fonotoe was then uncontested at the 2011 general election when the intended candidate from the Tautua Samoa party was declared ineligible for failing to have the signature of the Village Mayor on his application form.
Lauofo was Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Commerce, Industry and Labour from 2011 – 2016, but when he returned to Parliament in 2016, he was not reappointed as a Cabinet Minister.
In the recent general election, Fonotoe was 341 votes ahead of Toomata Norah Leota of Faatuatua i Le Atua Samoa ua Tasi FAST party, for the electoral constituency of Anoama’a 2.
The official HRPP announcement is expected to be held later today.
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