A judicial challenge has been unveiled after Sinn Féin took the Fermanagh and South Tyrone Westminster seat by four votes, a courts spokeswoman confirmed today.
Michelle Gildernew was declared the winner after the third recount, but Unionist unity candidate Rodney Connor asked for the Belfast Election Court review after this month’s narrow defeat.
A spokeswoman for the Lord Chief Justice’s Office said: “We have had an application lodged by Rodney Conner.”
After the first count, only eight votes separated the independent unionist candidate and the Sinn Féin minister, sparking a recount at 3am.
After three recounts, the first giving Mrs Gildernew the edge by 10 votes, then two and finally four, the contest was declared for Sinn Féin.
The Fermanagh and South Tyrone seat was won by IRA prisoner Bobby Sands in 1981 when he was on hunger strike. Since then, it changed hands between nationalism and unionism until Ms Gildernew won in 2001.
She was elected by just 53 votes, resulting in legal challenges after complaints about polling stations staying open too late.
PA