Edwin Poots has confirmed that he will run to be leader of the DUP.
The current Agriculture Minister confirmed this afternoon that he would stand after Arlene Foster said she would be stepping down as leader at the end of May.
The First Minister announced her planned resignation in the face of an internal revolt against her leadership.
In a video message posted online, Minister Poots thanked Mrs Foster for her work in the party.
“I am a proud Northern Ireland man, I love its people and its place, and it faces many challenging times, it’s with that in mind, I’m putting my name forward for the leadership for the Democratic Unionist Party,” he said.
“I look forward to the engagement and the debate with colleagues and the wider public in this contest.
“Northern Ireland is a place that has had many great things over this last hundred years, I wish to see us rebuild, revitalise, reinvigorate and revive for the next hundred.”
The party has never had a contested leadership race.
It is unclear whether Mr Poots will yet have competition in his bid to take charge of Northern Ireland’s largest unionist party.
Sir Jeffrey Donaldson and Gavin Robinson are other names also thought to be in the mix for the soon to be vacant leadership.
