St Vincent’s Opposition Unity Labour Party (ULP) has formally lodged two election petitions challenging the legitimacy of the election for the representatives of Northern Grenadines and East Kingstown.

The petitions, filed on Thursday, target newly elected Prime Minister Godwin Friday and the island’s new Foreign Minister, Fitz Bramble.

The legal challenges center on the fact that both Friday and Bramble hold Canadian citizenship, which the ULP contends renders their election to the House of Representatives invalid.

Carlos Williams, the ULP candidate for the Northern Grenadines, filed the petition against Prime Minister Godwin Friday in his capacity as the parliamentary representative for that constituency.

A second petition was filed by Luke Browne, the ULP’s candidate for East Kingstown, against Fitz Bramble, who has been appointed as the nation’s new Foreign Minister and serves as the representative for the East Kingstown constituency.

Similar to the petition against the Prime Minister, Browne’s filing claims that Bramble’s election is invalid on the grounds of his Canadian citizenship.

During the recent election campaign, the ULP had publicly stated its intention to challenge the election of both Friday and Bramble should they secure their respective seats. The filing of these petitions fulfills that campaign promise.

This is a developing story, and further details are expected to emerge as the legal process unfolds.