Sinn Fein’s Martin McGuinness has returned to Stormont after a losing presidential bid to now incumbant Michael D. Higgins. McGuinness will be reprising his role of deputy first minister, reports BBC.

During McGuinness’s absence, his Sinn Fein colleague John O’Dowd was filling in for his role, but he has since penned a letter to formally step down from the position.
______________
Read More:
Beaten candidate refuses to blame Martin McGuinness

Gallagher accuses Martin McGuinness of ‘ambush and a hatchet job’

Martin McGuinness says Irish public don’t care about his IRA past

______________

McGuinness received 243,030 first preference votes during last week’s election, with the one-time sure favourite Sean Gallagher getting 504,964 in second. The ultimate winner, Michael D. Higgins, received about 40% of the first preference vote with 701,101 votes.

On Saturday, Higgins was officially named the ninth president of the Republic of Ireland.

BBC News reports that the Sinn Fein MLA said that McGuinness was “over the moon” with the support he received from the Irish electorate.