A Sinn Féin MLA is set to challenge Michelle O'Neill for the party's vice-presidency.
Upper Bann MLA John O'Dowd confirmed he's seeking nominations ahead of the party's Ard Fheis in November.
I can confirm I will be seeking nominations for Leas Uachtarán of Sinn Féin as we approach the Ard Fheis and the annual election of party leadership. I look forward to the debate across the party and island.
— John O' Dowd (@JohnODowdSF) August 31, 2019
Ms O'Neill, meanwhile, confirmed she's seeking re-election to the role.
In a statement, she said: “The Sinn Féin leadership is fully focused on the threat of Brexit across the whole island and safeguarding the peace and progress of the past 21 years.
“I am fully committed to this work and to building Sinn Féin as a national political movement for Irish Unity and an agreed Ireland.
“I will ask the party membership to endorse my record by re-electing me to the position of Leas Uachtarán of the party.”
Ms O'Neill became vice president of the party in February 2018, a year after being elected as the party's leader in Northern Ireland.
She was the only candidate for the vice president role last year, after Mary Lou McDonald became party leader following Gerry Adams's decision to step down.
Mr O'Dowd, meanwhile, has been a MLA since 2003 and is the former education minister in Northern Ireland.
He also briefly served as acting deputy first minister in 2011 when the late Martin McGuinness ran as a candidate in the Irish presidential election.
