Former south Belfast MLA Emma Little Pengelly has claimed that a DUP party rival handed out election leaflets containing “misinformation” hours before her defeat in the assembly elections.
Ms Little Pengelly lost her seat in south Belfast while Christopher Stalford managed to hold on to his during nail biting contest last Friday.
Just 83 first preference votes separated the pair after the first count.
Mr Stalford was elected after Ms Little Pengelly was eliminated and her transfers distributed.
Ms Little Pengelly said in a Facebook post that election literature promoting Mr Stalford was wrongly handed out in Carryduff the night before the election.
“In addition I apologise to the voters in Stranmillis PS where Stalford 1 leaflets were handed out for many hours during election day and misinformation given out,” she said.
“Unfortunately this person would not leave.
“This should not have happened and there should not have been that confusion to you, the DUP voters.”
Ms Little Pengelly said she has raised the matter with the party.
“In an election where 25 votes separated Christopher and me this confusion was unacceptable,” she said.
Former assembly man for the area Jimmy Spratt weighed into the row last night by backing the DUP woman.
“It is sad that some cannot play a s straight game, but there is a history of this in south Belfast and sadly the same culprits are involved,” he said.
