Paul Murphy
After a hiatus of many months three potential candidates for the Presidency have broken cover and are lining up to lobby councillors for a nomination when Meath County Council meets on Monday. An election to replace President Michael D Higgins must take place within the 60 days before the current President’s term of office expires in November this year. A candidate must be nominated by either not less than 20 members of the Oireachtas or at least four City/County or City and County Councils.
The normal procedure is for potential candidates to notify the county council that they wish to lobby councillors and this would normally take place before the 1.30pm start of Monday’s meeting. An independent candidate has the best chance of getting a nomination through the county councils but four councils must vote for them in order for them to get onto the ballot paper.
When the county council was asked on Wednesday of this week whether any potential candidates had contacted it, a spokesperson said that three candidates had applied to the council for support in the upcoming Presidential election. “The council cannot progress further until the Presidential order is signed”, the spokesperson said.
Professor Doctor Chikelue Obi
One contact received by the council (and some councillors) comes from Professor Doctor Chikelue Obi who holds Irish Citizenship ND Northern Irish citizenship by virtue of his UK birth and lives in Co Cavan. He rates his chances of winning the Irish Presidency as “(very), very high”. And states that his highest political office to date has been The Most Excellent State Coounsellor of Biafraland.
Another person who has contacted Meath County councillors is Gareth Sheridan, picture, (above top pic), who has a company Nutriband which “aims to become a billion dollar concern in the pharmaceutical industry”. He has written a book From No to Nasdaq. A third person seeking a nomination from the Meath council has not so far revealed their identity.
