The Tautua Samoa Party whip, Lealailepule Rimoni Aiafi, has not switched sides to the ruling Human Rights Protection Party (H.R.P.P.).
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The denial comes contrary to reports that he had announced the switch during the weekend.
“There [are] still a lot of issues that needs to be addressed before a firm decision is made,” he told the Samoa Observer yesterday.
Told that his decision had already been announced by other media, Lealailepule said that it must have been during the matai title ceremony at Vaitele last Saturday where he was bestowed the Tupuola title.
Prime Minister, Tuilaepa Sa’ilele Malielegaoi, was also honoured during the same ceremony with the title Galumalemana.
According to Talamua Media, Leala had apparently declared his support for the H.R.P.P during the ceremony.
But Leala rejected this.
“But it was a joke, not a formal one [because] there are implications; but that paper is a tabloid that no-one should take serious[ly].”
Rumours of Lealailepule planning to switch parties have been circulating for months.
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