A by-election in Samoa for the constituency of Faleata east will go ahead despite the unanimous decision by a village council to nominate a high ranking elderly matai to take over the parliamentary seat without going to the polls.
The decision was also supported by several matais of two other villages within the constituency.
At the closing of nominations two candidates were registered for the by-election which will be held next Friday.
The two nominees are the chief executive officer of the Samoa Association of Sports and the National Olympic committee, Aveau Niko Palamo, and the high ranking orator, Patauave Etuale.
The one candidate decision by Vaimoso village matais was rejected by Aveau who said he had the right to compete as a holder of a matai title in the village.
But the village mayor or pulenu'u, Matavao Sione, had said the council will penalize the chief executive officer after the by-election for disobeying the one candidate decision.
