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Alex Attwood says he feels more sorry for the SDLP than for himself. He says he has never walked away from his responsibilities, that the party "should have held more ground" and he regrets that. 

He lost his west Belfast seat after being an MLA since 1998. 

Raymond McCartney tells the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ he is "absolutely delighted" by the party's performance in the Foyle constituency. 

Image source, bbc

Traditionally, an SDLP stronghold, Mr McCartney said Martin McGuinness had very much been a part of their "largest ever" Foyle vote.

For those struggling to keep up - 24 of the 90 seats filled so far. And this is the breakdown:

• Sinn Féin - 11 seats
• DUP - eight
• Alliance - three
• UUP - one
• SDLP - one

Among those elected thus far are Sinn Féin leader Michelle O'Neill in Mid Ulster and Alliance leader Naomi Long in East Belfast. 

The first big shock of the election was that long-standing SDLP assembly member Alex Attwood lost his seat in west Belfast.  

Image source, Pacemaker

Commentator Newton Emerson says the story of the election is the "huge rise in the Sinn Féin vote". He says the big question is, "what has opposition gained the SDLP?"

The SDLP thought they had played their trump card when they brought veteran John Dallat out of retirement to fight the election in East Londonderry.

However, an acrimonious fallout with outgoing SDLP MLA Gerry Mullan seems to have affected the performance of both men, who have all but admitted defeat.

Sinn Féin's Sinead Ennis has topped the poll in South Down with more than 10,000 first preference votes.

She's replacing Caitriona Ruane in the constituency.

'I'm delighted to have topped the poll, but that was never on our agenda," she said.

"We knew it was going to be a positive election for us, that was the feedback on the doorsteps."

The former UUP MLA, Michael McGimpsey, says it is "fair to say we haven't done as well as we would have hoped".

However, he said he would be surprised if anyone in the UUP was prepared to challenge Mike Nesbitt's leadership at this time.   

Independent Claire Sugden, who is sitting in fourth place in the constituency with 4,918 votes, says she's confident of being elected. 

She was justice minister in the last assembly - she says the third DUP seat in her constituency is "vulnerable". 

DUP leader Arlene Foster fails to hit the 8,711 quota in Fermanagh & South Tyrone in the first count. She received 8,479 first preference votes - a slight drop from last year. 

Image source, AFP

Former justice minister Claire Sugden says "the people have spoken". She says as an independent she is "transfer friendly" and is hopeful of being re-elected.