Craigavon ‘time warp’ locks out Sinn Féin poll topper for Mayor

» John Hedges

An Phoblacht Editor

Craigavon has had only three non-unionist Mayors in 39 years – not one of them from Sinn Féin

UNIONIST COUNCILLORS on Craigavon Borough Council have been accused of living in a timewarp after they ran a second vote for the post of Mayor at the AGM this week when Sinn Féin won.

After a Sinn Féin proposal to use the d’Hondt arrangements accepted by unionists and nationalists in the Assembly to improve fairer representation was rejected, a first-past-the-post vote was called.

Sinn Féin Councillor Mairead O'Dowd won 11 votes, pipping the DUP’s Carla Lockhart by one. The Ulster Unionist Party’s Arnold Hatch trailed with three votes.

Unionists then tried to have the UUP man’s three votes simply transferred to the DUP candidate to push her over the line and ahead of the Sinn Féin poll topper.

After the borough council’s solicitor was consulted, this idea was dropped and a second vote called, which changed the result in the DUP candidate’s favour with 12 votes.

Sinn Féin Councillor Johnny McGibbon said there is a “Craigavon timewarp”.

“We refused to participate in the second vote as it seemed to be a re-run of the election because a Sinn Féin candidate happened to have the most votes.”

He said the whole episode is ridiculous as two of the DUP councillors are also Assembly members and implement d'Hondt arrangements in Stormont but won’t in Craigavon.

“We have a close working relationship throughout the year, there's lots of common ground and I can’t remember a bad word between us,” Johnny McGibbon said.

“To say relationships are strained or that Sinn Féin is not ready for a senior position is excuse-making, arrogant and doesn’t respect the mandate of the nationalist community who voted for us.”

Craigavon (which includes Portadown and Lurgan in the council area) has had only three non-unionist Mayors in 39 years – not one of them from Sinn Féin.

Sinn Féin is now seeking its own legal advice.