Samoan Member of Parliament, Tuia Letoa has officially resigned from the caucus of independent Members of Parliament.
His resignation comes as the grouping of independent MPs are planning an official launch of their Tautua Samoa Party.
Tuia has confirmed to the Newsline newspaper that he has handed in his resignation to letter the Tautua Samoa Caucus Chairman, MP Lealailepule Rimoni Aiafi.
He said he has decided to remove himself from caucus activities to tend to family obligations.
Newsline reports that Tuia's resignation caught several of the Tautua Samoa Party caucus and other Members of the House by surprise.
It's been rumored that Tuia has had a falling out with others in the party caucus.
It was also sugegsted that he may be aligning himself with the ruling Human Rights Protection Party.
But Tuia has strongly denied the rumors about differences between him and other party members or that he is switching to the government.
He said he will remain an Independent.
