A LAST minute swarm of nominations for the Northern elections brought the lists to well in excess of 500 names yesterday. But the 5 p.m. deadline caused a rare crossing of paths in Belfast.
Party leaders and their henchmen brushed shoulders and occasionally exchanged banter as they flocked to the Belfast Electoral Office in Church Street to lodge their papers with the Chief Electoral Officer, Mr Pat Bradley.
The procession continued all day, and most of those arriving were willing to voice their predictions and hopes for the forthcoming three week campaign, which culminates on May 30th.
Delivering the Sinn Fein papers, the party's national chairman, Mr Mitchel McLaughlin, said they were looking forward to the election "to demonstrate the strength and the depth of Sinn Fein's electoral mandate".
It would also serve notice, on the British government in particular, "that there is a very significant constituency who are absolutely indispensable to any potential for a lasting and democratic settlement to the conflict in our society".
Confirming Sinn Fein's attitude to the forum, Mr McLaughlin said it would not participate in any return to Stormont rule, however disguised. The party would, however, make itself available for "meaningful negotiations" and give authority to whatever agreement resulted from the these negotiations.
The Sinn Fein nominations total 70 on the constituency lists, and 10 on the regional lists. Of the 70 on the constituency panel, 24 are women.
Earlier, the UUP leader, Mr David Trimble, and other party officers had delivered the UUP's list of some 80 nominations. Mr Trimble said the forum was essential to the process because there would be no public confidence in private, secret negotiations. The forum represented the public face of the process.
The UK Unionist party leader, Mr Robert McCartney, arrived with his star recruit for the elections, Dr Conor Cruise O'Brien.
Mr McCartney said this was an election which had been designed to achieve a predestined aim. However, he was delighted to have Dr O'Brien's support.
He not only presented Dr O'Brien with an Ulster motif tie, but for the benefit of the cameras helped him to don it. Dr" O'Brien commented "They told me to nail my colours to the mast now I can wrap them around my neck."
The DUP leader, the Rev Ian Paisley, arrived with his list of over 60 candidates and said he did not know as yet if his name was going to be beside that of his party on the ballot paper.
In regard to a possible legal challenge on the issue, he said. "I think we're prepared to take it as far as we can." Asked by a female television reporter what that meant, he impishly replied. "When a lady says she'll take you as far as she can take you, you know what that means. I think we can win it."
Delivering his party's list of some 50 candidates, the UDP leader, Mr Gary McMichael, said he believed the electorate would respond to the manner in which his party had dealt with the peace process over the past two years.
The Alliance Party leader, Dr John Alderdice, said the future of Northern Ireland was at stake in the elections, and he had already warned that the two governments would impose an outcome if the parties did not find agreement. It was important to ensure the success of the post election talks.
Alliance emphasised that of its 57 candidates, 20 are women. At least two of these on the "top up" list are practically guaranteed forum membership.
The SDLP also highlighted female representation 21 of more than 80 candidates women. The party's nominations were lodged by its administrator, Ms Gerry Cosgrove.
Democratic Left lodged a list of some 50 candidates, 40 per cent of them women, to contest all 18 constituencies. The Natural Law Party registered 41 candidates, the new Labour grouping lodged 70, and the Women's Coalition arrived with a list of about 50 nominees.
In the election, five delegates' will be returned from each of the 18 constituencies, and two delegates will be returned from the "top up" lists for each of the 10 parties who gain the largest aggregate vote across all the constituencies.