Christchurch city councillor Raf Manji plans to stand against senior minister Gerry Brownlee in his Ilam seat at this year's election.
Raf Manji, left, and Gerry Brownlee Photo: RNZ
Mr Manji - a former investment banker and chair of the council's strategy and finance committee - confirmed this afternoon he would be standing.
He told Checkpoint with John Campbell Christchurch's recovery had been hampered by Mr Brownlee, who has led the government's response to the Canterbury earthquakes.
Mr Brownlee no longer had what Christchurch needed, he said.
Mr Brownlee has been National's MP for Ilam since 1996, and currently has a 11,000 vote majority.
Mr Manji planned to stand as an independent.
He grew up in the UK, before moving to New Zealand in 2002.
