Te Pāti Māori has announced Aperahama Edwards as its candidate for Te Tai Tokerau in this year's election.
It follows the departure of MP Mariameno Kapa-Kingi who split from Te Pāti Māori to set up her own party, named after the electorate.
Edwards, who is of Ngātiwai descent and chairs the Ngātiwai Trust Board, will run against Kapa-Kingi, Labour's Willow-Jean Prime and the Greens' Hūhana Lyndon.
He was standing because "our people need a voice that will not bend when Te Tiriti is under attack," he said.
"Our whānau deserve leadership that is steady, disciplined and focused on the kaupapa that matter to Te Tai Tokerau: our whenua, our moana, our reo, our rangatahi, our kaumātua, our homes, our kai, and the future we leave behind for our mokopuna."
