23 Mar 2016

Majority of elected MPs open to legal action

12:32 pm on 23 March 2016

37 of Samoa's 50 elected MPs are open to being sued for bribery and treating by their runner up candidates.

Under section 105 of Samoa's Electoral Act, candidates can file an election petition as long as they poll no less than 50 percent of the winning candidate's votes.

So far, just one MP, Aliimalemanu Alofa Tuu'au, is facing a court petition, but more are expected to be filed before next week's Tuesday deadline.

Acting Electoral Commissioner Faimalomatumua Mathew Lemisio

Acting Electoral Commissioner Faimalomatumua Mathew Lemisio Photo: SUPPLIED / Autagavaia Tipi Autagavaia

The acting Electoral Commissioner, Faimalotumua Mathew Lemisio, said there weren't many candidates in that had landslide victories.

"Based on those numbers I think it really, from our point of view, suggests that a lot of quality candidates were available to the voters to choose from. That's how we see that closeness in the numbers of votes between the candidates."