Siġġiewi deputy mayor Karol Aquilina will be submitting his candidature when nominations for the post of Nationalist Party administrative president open tomorrow.
Dr Aquilina, 32, confirmed he will contest the post and yesterday informed PN executive members via SMS of his intention.
“I have been active in the party for quite some time having worked closely with this administration and the previous one and I feel this is an opportunity for me to continue offering my services,” he said, when contacted.
The post was vacated recently after Pierre Portelli resigned to co-present a breakfast show on TVM.
Party sources told The Sunday Times that Dr Aquilina had the backing of the PN leadership. When asked whether he was approached by PN general secretary Paul Borg Olivier or party leader Lawrence Gonzi to contest the post, Dr Aquilina would only say he discussed the matter with some party officials and members of the executive.
“I do not feel it is correct to divulge who these people are and what we discussed privately,” Dr Aquilina said.
He may not be the only one contesting the post though.
MP Beppe Fenech Adami has been approached by a number of executive members to contest the post.
“I have not decided whether to submit my nomination but being a candidate I still want to serve the party on a district level and would not want to take the place of somebody who may have more time to dedicate to the party in the administrative role,” Dr Fenech Adami said.
He admitted being approached by some party officials to contest the post. “They did so in their personal capacity but I will not say who.”
Sources said Dr Fenech Adami was viewed by many as representing those party members who still identified themselves with the Eddie Fenech Adami era and felt estranged from the current leadership.
A third possible contestant for the post is Sta Lucija councillor and executive member Caroline Galea. Undecided yet whether to submit her candidature, Ms Galea said she would be thinking about the matter in the coming week.
“This is a role that carries certain responsibilities with it and I cannot make a rushed decision,” she said.
The nominations for the post open tomorrow and close on Friday. It will be the 83 members of the executive, who will decide the issue.
Mr Portelli’s resignation two weeks ago was closely followed by that of Lija mayor Ian Castaldi Paris last Wednesday, who quit his post as president of the PN college of local councillors.
In a letter to Dr Gonzi and distributed to the media Dr Castaldi Paris said he resigned after “a period of reflection on his work in the college” and for “personal reasons”.
The resignation only affects Dr Castaldi Paris’s role within the party structures and he still is Lija mayor representing the PN.
While Mr Portelli’s resignation letter was addressed to the general secretary and the party leader, Dr Castaldi Paris’s letter was only addressed to Dr Gonzi.
Attempts to contact Dr Castaldi Paris over the past few days proved futile.
ksansone@timesofmalta.com