Concerns have been raised about the DUP's decision to appoint Emma Pengelly to Stormont's finance and personnel committee as part of a reshuffle of the party's MLAs.
The newly-appointed South Belfast assembly member will join the committee alongside East Antrim representative Gordon Lyons. The pair will replace Adrian McQuillan and Paul Girvan at a time when the scrutiny committee is investigating the sale of Nama's northern debt portfolio.
The appointment of Ms Pengelly, a qualified barrister, and Mr Lyons is seen as a tactical move designed to minimise damage to the DUP as the party's representatives face questioning over the Nama controversy.
Former finance ministers Simon Hamilton and Sammy Wilson have been called to give evidence, as has DUP leader Peter Robinson. It is still not known when any of the senior DUP figures will agree to appear.
Stormont sources have drawn parallels with Ms Pengelly and Mr Lyons' appointment with those of Mr Wilson and Gregory Campbell to the social development committee in the midst of its Red Sky investigation.
Last night SDLP committee member Dominic Bradley raised concerns about a potential conflict of interest involving Ms Pengelly, whose husband was a senior Department of Finance and Personnel (DFP) official until three years ago.
Richard Pengelly, who is now permanent secretary at department of health, was public spending director at DFP from 2007 to 2012. He was also earmarked by Sammy Wilson as a potential member of Nama's northern advisory board, a role that was eventually given to Frank Cushnahan and Brian Rowntree.
"Given that this forms part the timeframe currently under scrutiny by the committee as part of the on-going Nama investigation, this appointment could carry with it a potential conflict of interest," Mr Bradley said.
"It is important for all parties to take into account perceptions surrounding this investigation and that that all parties do their utmost to ensure public confidence that there has been no attempt to hinder the committee from getting to the truth."
The DUP declined to comment on the potential conflict of interest.
"With two MLAs stepping down recently it is necessary to reshuffle a number of committee places," a DUP spokesman said.
"Other changes had also been held back to allow this to be completed in one go."
