L-R: Ivor Paisley, Alastair Patterson, Basil Johnston and Alan Burke.

Four candidates will seek the UUP’s vacant Fermanagh and South Tyrone Assembly seat this week, including former local councillor Basil Johnston.

Three relative newcomers from Co Tyrone will make up the list alongside Mr Johnston, who served on the former Fermanagh District Council.

The four are seeking to be co-opted into the seat vacated by Neil Somerville. The Clogher Valley man confirmed his decision to stand down this month, less than seven months after he replaced Tom Elliott in the Assembly.

Alastair Patterson from Castlederg, Alan Burke from Killyman and Ivor Paisley from Galbally complete the list.

A well known figure in Castlederg, Alastair Patterson is a commercial manager with Lowry Brothers and a member of Garvetagh Pipe Band.

He is joined by two Tyrone men better known for their work within the local councils.

Alan Burke is a former chief executive of Dungannon and South Tyrone Borough Council, while Ivor Paisley was previously the director of corporate services at Cookstown District Council.

Neither of the three have stood for election before.

Basil Johnston is the sole Fermanagh candidate. A former council representative for Enniskillen, he lost his seat in the 2014 election to the new Fermanagh and Omagh District Council.

MAY ELECTION

UUP councillor Rosemary Barton has already put her name forward to be a Fermanagh and South Tyrone candidate for the party in May’s Assembly election. It’s understood that the Erne North representative would have had to stand down from the council to take the nomination to replace Mr Somerville.

She’s expected to be one of two names on the Ulster Unionist ticket in the constituency for May’s election.

It’s anticipated that the new MLA named on Friday will be the second candidate.

Party insiders have tipped either Mr Paisley or Mr Burke to take the nomination, due to their stronger connections with South Tyrone, which would ensure a geographical balance on the election ticket in May.

Mr Patterson is considered an outside runner, but retains strong connections within the business and band community.