Samuelu Teo

Samuelu Penitala Teo (24 November 1957 – 13 November 2024)^[2][3] was a Tuvaluan politician. He was the son of Fiatau Penitala Teo who was appointed as the first Governor General of Tuvalu (1978–1986) following independence from Great Britain.^[4] Samuelu Teo himself served as the Acting Governor-General of Tuvalu from January until 28 September 2021.^[5][6] He had succeeded Acting Governor-General Teniku Talesi^[7] and remained in office until the Rev. Tofiga Vaevalu Falani was sworn in as the 10th Governor-General in September 2021.

The Honourable Samuelu Teo MP
Teo in 2022
Speaker of the Parliament of Tuvalu
In office 20 September 2019 – 27 January 2024
Prime Minister	Kausea Natano
Preceded by	Otinielu Tausi
Succeeded by	Iakoba Italeli
Acting Governor-General of Tuvalu
In office January 2021 – 28 September 2021
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Prime Minister	Kausea Natano
Preceded by	Teniku Talesi (acting)
Succeeded by	Tofiga Vaevalu Falani
Minister of Works, Energy and Communications (1999–2001); Minister for Natural Resources (2001–2002)
In office 1999–2002
Prime Minister	Ionatana Ionatana (1999–2000);[1] Lagitupu Tuilimu (2000–2001); Faimalaga Luka (2001); and Koloa Talake (2001–2002)
Member of the Tuvaluan Parliament for Niutao
In office 26 March 1998 – 3 August 2006
Member of the Tuvaluan Parliament for Niutao (serving with Fauoa Maani)
In office 31 March 2015 – 26 January 2024
Preceded by	Vete Sakaio
Personal details
Born	Samuelu Penitala Teo (1957-11-24)24 November 1957
Died	13 November 2024(2024-11-13) (aged 66)
Political party	Independent

He was born on 24 November 1957.^[8] His spouse was Miliaga Samuelu Teo.^[9]

Career

He was first elected to the Parliament of Tuvalu at the 1998 general election to represent the constituency of Niutao.^[4] He served as the Minister of Works, Energy and Communications in the governments led by Ionatana Ionatana (1999–2000)^[1] and Lagitupu Tuilimu (2000–2001). He was the Minister for Natural Resources in the governments led by Faimalaga Luka (2001) and Koloa Talake (2001–2002). He was re-elected in the 2002 Tuvaluan general election, then lost his seat in the 2006 Tuvaluan general election when the vote of the Tuvaluan electorate resulted in the election of 8 new members to the 15 member parliament.^[10][11]

Samuelu Teo was again elected to represent Niutao in the 2015 Tuvaluan general election.^[12][13][14] The 2015 election was strongly contested with six candidates including the two incumbent MPs (Vete Sakaio and Fauoa Maani) and three former MPs (Tomu Sione, Tavau Teii and Teo).^[13]

Following the 2019 Tuvaluan general election, on 19 September 2019, the members of parliament elected Kausea Natano from Funafuti as prime minister;^[15][16][17] and Teo was elected as Speaker of the Parliament of Tuvalu.^[18]

He was not re-elected in the 2024 Tuvaluan general election.^[19][20]

His brother Feleti Penitala Teo^[21][22] was elected to represent Niutao in the 2024 general election,^[19] and was elected as prime minister.^[23][24]