If anyone seriously questioned whether the First Minister resigning was a pre-election stunt, the DUP leader's speech afterwards left it beyond any doubt.
In a lengthy keynote address to the party faithful, Sir Jeffrey Donaldson reiterated DUP opposition to Brexit's Northern Ireland Protocol - but also took a swipe at other Stormont parties.
He accused Sinn Féin of "preaching equality" but showing a lack of respect to unionists, pointing to how the party blocked small efforts to mark the Northern Ireland centenary and the Queen's jubilee.
As Sir Jeffrey spoke live at a South Belfast hotel, the DUP social media pages pumped out pre-arranged graphics bearing key sentences and slogans from his 2,300-word address.
"Now is the moment when we say 'enough'," the Lagan Valley MP declared from the podium - and simultaneously replicated in branded imagery on the DUP's Twitter profile.
Likewise in another city hotel, Sinn Féin was gearing up for an Assembly election by calling for the poll currently scheduled for May to be brought forward.
The party's president Mary Lou McDonald accused the DUP of being "narrow and self-serving" by pulling Paul Givan out of the power-sharing government.
"In the absence of a functioning Executive an early election must be called," she added in a pre-emptive strike to the DUP move.
There are two trains of thought on whether this idea would benefit or hinder the DUP.
An earlier election, potentially as soon as March, would help the party focus minds on what it sees as the key issue of the Protocol.
In the absence of a UK-EU deal to relax Irish Sea trade checks, the DUP hopes expressing a tougher stance will help claw back support that polls suggest has switched to Jim Allister's more hardline TUV.
But the party would face heavier criticism from opponents if bringing the poll forward causes significant legislation passing through the Assembly to fall.
Sticking with May reduces this point of criticism as MLAs will have more time to progress outstanding bills, but the DUP's key talking points could have a diminishing impact as the weeks wear on.
Sinn Féin clearly thinks an early election boosts its chances of emerging as the largest party, as successive polls have predicted.
"The DUP only want democracy when it's on their terms," said Sinn Féin vice-president Michelle O'Neill.
With unionist parties refusing to say if they would share power with a Sinn Féin First Minister, her comments are likely to be a key campaign message to rally nationalist voters.
However, it appears counter-intuitive to accuse the DUP of recklessness in stopping a fully functioning Executive while also potentially scuppering important legislation by supporting an earlier poll.
The focus now moves to how the Secretary of State will respond. Brandon Lewis will likely face heavy lobbying from Stormont parties on both sides of the argument.
With the Executive in limbo, Mr Lewis will also come under pressure over unresolved issues such as Irish language legislation and delays in commissioning abortion services.
Talk is also turning to whether the Northern Ireland Executive will be reestablished directly after an election.
The DUP is positioning itself to refuse to go back into government until its demands over the Protocol are met.
It will argue this is a protest against Irish Sea checks, but it will also buy time to prepare its base for accepting the Deputy First Minister role if Sinn Féin becomes the largest party.
Westminster is also soon expected to pass legislation which will allow Stormont ministers to remain in office in a caretaker capacity for some months after an election if a new Executive is not immediately formed.
Voters could have their say as early as March, but be prepared for potentially many subsequent months of stalemate before devolved government is fully restored.
