A second contender for the leadership of the Ulster Unionists has stepped forward.
Mr Robert Oliver, a retailer in Portadown, Co Armagh and the treasurer of Mr David Trimble's Upper Bann constituency, said he was entering the race "to win".
Mr Oliver (45) denied his challenge was as a "stalking horse" designed to clear the way for a high-profile candidate. He is avowedly anti-agreement and acted as spokesman for those opposed to Mr Trimble's leadership during a no-confidence vote in the constituency last July.
He told The Irish Times yesterday he was "serious about the challenge and serious about the need to rebuild the party to what it once was.
"The Ulster Unionist Party if it is to have any sort of future, it needs change and it needs it now," he said. Mr Oliver hopes Mr David Hoey, who announced last week he is standing for the leadership, will now withdraw his nomination.
He accused Mr Trimble of failing to deliver either stable devolution or a united party and called on members of the party's ruling Ulster Unionist Council to support his leadership bid and to bring the party "back from the edge of the political abyss".
Mr Oliver, originally from Castlederg, Co Tyrone, said Mr Trimble had to accept his role in the party's electoral decline. "I see no signs that he either understands how we got into this situation, or that he was a way out for us," he said.
He outlined three principles on which he based his candidacy, saying he would listen to party members rather than ignore them; unite the leadership; and regain the trust of the unionist electorate. "Ulster Unionism is bigger than any one man, but the crisis the party faces is the biggest in its 100-year history.
"I call on those with the best interests of the UUP at heart to help me on Saturday start to reverse the decline and the defeats of recent years," he said.
Mr David Hoey, a Co Derry businessman said last week he would stand and, if successful, would immediately step aside to facilitate a new leadership.
Mr Oliver said last night had he known of Mr Hoey's plans, it is probably there would not be two challengers to the Trimble leadership.
The 900-member UUC votes on the leadership at each agm. Mr Trimble stated unequivocally in Hillsborough on Tuesday he is has no doubts concerning his re-election at this year's annual meeting in Belfast.