Tuala Iosefo Ponifasio
The Honourable Afioga Tuala Iosefo Ponifasio | |
|---|---|
Ponifasio in 2022 | |
| Deputy Prime Minister of Samoa | |
| Assumed office 24 May 2021 | |
| Prime Minister | Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa |
| Preceded by | Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa |
| Minister of Customs and Revenue | |
| Assumed office 24 May 2021 | |
| Prime Minister | Fiamē Naomi Mata‘afa |
| Preceded by | Tialavea Tionisio Hunt |
| Member of the Samoan Parliament for Gagaʻemauga No. 1 | |
| Assumed office 9 April 2021 | |
| Preceded by | Sala Fata Pinati |
| Personal details | |
| Political party | Samoa Uniting Party (since 2025) |
| Other political affiliations |
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| Alma mater | |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | New Zealand |
| Branch/service | Royal New Zealand Army |
| Years of service | 2004–2008 |
| Rank | Captain |
Afioga Tuala Tevaga Iosefo Ponifasio is a Samoan politician, lawyer and Cabinet Minister who has served as the deputy prime minister of Samoa since 2021. Elected to parliament as an independent, Ponifasio became kingmaker following the 2021 election and later joined the Faʻatuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi (FAST) party.
Ponifasio was removed from FAST in 2025, along with Prime Minister Fiamē Naomi Mata‘afa and three cabinet ministers. Ponifasio and the expelled ministers, denounced the expulsion as unlawful and continued to claim they were FAST members. After Mata‘afa called a snap election following parliament's reject of the government budget on 27 May, Ponifasio, along with the rest of cabinet, confirmed they had left FAST and joined Mata‘afa's Samoa Uniting Party (SUP).