DUP MLA Jim Wells, a supporter of Edwin Poots during the DUP leadership election, has described his resignation as “very unfortunate”.

“It is very sad, the DUP did not have a leadership election for 50 years and now we are going to have two in 50 days,” he told BBC News NI’s Good Morning Ulster.

“I think it’s very unfortunate for Edwin, very unfortunate for the country and unionism generally.

“Edwin simply didn’t get the opportunity to show the leadership qualities which I think he had.”

Mr Wells adds that he thinks Stormont "is in a crisis situation" following the latest political developments.

"There are huge issues ahead and the only way to deal with that is for the DUP to elect a new leader and for him or her to have the total support of everyone in the party."

Jayne McCormack
BBC News NI political correspondent

Whoever takes over from Edwin Poots as DUP leader will have a massive amount of work to do.

The outgoing DUP leader was a sullen figure leaving DUP party headquarters in east Belfast on Thursday.

Mr Poots was described as failing his first real test of his leadership after being in the job for just 21 days.

He faced severe backlash from party colleagues over his decision to agree a deal with Sinn Féin and nominate Paul Givan as first minister.

Mr Poots, who took over as leader from Arlene Foster in May, had narrowly defeated Sir Jeffrey Donaldson in a leadership vote.

Speaking to DUP figures last night, they were saying that the party needs stability and Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, who is widely tipped to be the frontrunner for the post, could help bring that.

They believe the party needs to stop the nonsense and coalesce around one figure.

There is certainly a sense that there may not be another leadership election simply because the last one was just so bruising for the party, with internal divisions being spilled out into the open.

It is likely the DUP will want a new leader installed very quickly, and that could potentially happen in the next few weeks.

Image source, Brian Lawless

TUV leader Jim Allister tells Good Morning Ulster the resignation of Edwin Poots was a "bad day for unionism" and "a victory for ransom politics and Sinn Féin".

He says First Minister Paul Givan is "absolutely a lame duck".

"I suppose the practicalities of replacing him might actually be something that keeps him in office, wanted or unwanted.

"He became first minister in circumstances of the DUP rolling over to Sinn Féin so that is always going to be around his neck."

He adds: "I think it was quite astounding, in truth I didn’t expect Edwin Poots’s leadership to last but the speed in which it came to end and the circumstances was quite astounding and of course it ends in abject failure because he left unionism in a weaker position."

Meanwhile, with all the drama, a North-South Ministerial Council due later today in Armagh is not going ahead.

SDLP deputy leader and Minister for Infrastructure, Nichola Mallon, has been tweeting her frustration this morning.

Image source, Pacemaker

Sir Jeffrey Donaldson is believed to be in pole position to succeed Edwin Poots as DUP leader.

He is the DUP's Westminster leader and is currently the longest-serving MP from Northern Ireland.

Born in Kilkeel, the 58-year-old has said his decision to enter politics was influenced by the IRA murder of his cousin, RUC officer Samuel Donaldson, in 1970.

He was elected as an MP for the Ulster Unionist Party in 1997 for the Lagan Valley constituency.

Sir Jeffrey joined the DUP in 2004 after leaving the UUP following disagreements with Lord Trimble.

In 1998, he had led a walkout from the 1998 peace talks which secured the Good Friday Agreement.

Sir Jeffrey challenged Edwin Poots for the DUP leadership last month and lost the election by two votes.

Image source, Getty Images

Yesterday began with the news that a deal had been found that would allow the nomination of a first and deputy first minister at Stormont - and ended with Edwin Poots' resignation.

Mr Poots stepped down after an internal party revolt over his decision to agree a deal with Sinn Féin and nominate Paul Givan as first minister.

A majority of DUP members in the assembly wanted to delay the process.

Mr Poots, who took over as leader from Arlene Foster in May, had narrowly defeated Sir Jeffrey Donaldson in a leadership vote.

Now, Sir Jeffrey is the favourite to take over as leader.

Read more here.

After an extremely dramatic night, the curtain fell on Edwin Poots' short reign as DUP leader.

Now the party begins the process of finding a new leader, with the reverberations of what happened yesterday continuing to be felt this morning.

We'll be bringing you all the latest reaction and news on what happens next - stay with us.