Coup claim as Samoa’s elected leader locked out of parliament

Police bar Samoa’s prime minister-elect from entering parliament as incumbent leader refuses to cede power.

Samoa’s Prime Minister-elect Fiame Naomi Mata’afa has been locked out of the Pacific nation’s parliament after her political rival refused to cede power despite losing a general election in April. Mata’afa arrived at the Pacific nation’s parliament on Monday, accompanied by judges, ready to form a new government and take the oath as the country’s first female prime minister. But police barred her from entering the legislative chamber and the parliament clerk said he could only allow parliament to sit on the orders of the appointed head of state, an ally of outgoing Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi.