BY AILEEN MURPHY
Unionism in Fermanagh has been thrown into disarray following a decision by Ulster Unionist Councillor Bertie Kerr to object to a DUP candidate proposed to fill the Enniskillen seat left vacant by the death of Councillor Joe Dodds.
There was surprise amongst all the main political parties at Monday night's meeting of Fermanagh District Council when the proposal to co-opt 20 year-old Thomas Hogg, a student at Queen's University, on to the vacant seat was rejected.
The objection was made by Councillor Kerr, who said he was opposed to the co-option on the basis 'this seat is a Unionist seat and one that given the changing political climate within Unionism is a seat to be won by the Ulster Unionist Party'.
Councillor Kerr said: "I am aware the Unionist people have witnessed this province be brought into joint First/deputy First Minister's office with a Sinn Féin/DUP partnership even though many in the DUP suggested this would not happen.
"The people of Enniskillen should have the choice of who they can elect. I allowed the co-option of Councillor Brownlee last year, many Unionist people suggested that I should not have accepted this, I believe it is time to give the electorate a choice," he explained
However, his move has been slammed by the DUP Assembly Member for the area, who is also a former Fermanagh Councillor, Arlene Foster, who said: "This is a most foolish and unnecessary move.
"This decision by Councillor Kerr will almost certainly hand another seat to Sinn Féin in Fermanagh unless all unionists unite behind a DUP candidate on Election Day. The Council election result in 2005 shows clearly that the DUP is the main unionist party in this area.
"On behalf of the unionist people in Fermanagh I would ask what action the UUP Group Leader in Fermanagh, Tom Elliott, is going to take against this ill-disciplined Councillor? After all, this decision could cost unionism a seat?" she warned.
"I am amazed Councillor Kerr saw fit to facilitate a co-option when I stepped down and even supported a Sinn Féin co-option, yet he could not support a co-option to fill the seat vacated by the late Joe Dodds."
The Assembly member claimed Councillor Kerr's decision 'simply defies logic'.
Tom Elliott, responded to Mrs Foster points saying the DUP should not be trying to dictate disciplinary action to the UIster Unionist Party. He also indicated, however, that this was very early days in an election campaign but that his door was open if the DUP wished to discuss the proposal of a one 'unionist' candidate to contest the seat.
The leader of the DUP on Fermanagh Council, Bert Johnston, claimed Councillor Kerr was objecting to the selection of Mr Hogg, simply because he felt the DUP should have put forward another candidate, David Black for the position. However, Mr Johnston explained: "We as a democratic party had three candidates, and Mr Hogg received 54 votes out of a possible 74. Mr Black only received six. It is just not possible in a democratic party to put forward the candidate with the least number of votes, and Mr Hogg is a very strong candidate."
Whatever the reasoning a by-election in Fermanagh will certainly stir things up. With Jim Allister's Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV), likely to propose Fermanagh native Samuel Morrison to contest the seat, the unionist vote could be split three ways. A move which caused havoc in the Dromore/Banbridge by-election in February this year. In this case while the DUP topped the poll, transfer votes helped the Ulster Unionist Party snatch victory. And the TUV took a respectable third place in this their first election contest.
However, Enniskillen is a very tight seat and there is every likelihood nationalists could win the seat. And while Sinn Féin is traditionally the stronger party in the ward, the party has been hit hard by the resignation of three members in just over a year.
On the back of this the SDLP's Council leader John O'Kane explained his party's 'fortunes are on the up' and they are ready to contest this seat. He also added that it is unfortunate rate payers will be left to pick up the bill for the by-election, especially given the present Council will only be in existence until 2011.
It must also be remembered the last Council Election in the Enniskillen ward in 2005, saw Arlene Foster bringing with her a huge personal vote and topping the poll with 2054 first preference votes. It is unlikely a lesser known DUP candidate could equal this performance. Second place in 2005 went to Sinn Féin with 964 first preference votes and the SDLP with 916. In fact in this ward in 2005 the Ulster Unionists only managed to win a single seat and this election saw them lose one of their biggest names, as Raymond Ferguson lost out to the SDLP's Patricia Rodgers.
As a result of Monday night's Council meeting, the Chief Executive of Fermanagh District Council will now write to the Electoral Office informing them of the decision to hold a by-election. An election will then be called, it will have to take place between the 14 August and the 22 September, with mid-September a more likely date given the summer recess. Parties will have to confirm their candidates for nomination about one month before the date of the election.
