He served as Cathaoirleach of Dundalk UDC on a number of occasions and was also twice President of the Association of Municipalities of Ireland (AMAI).
Despite entreaties from Lynch and President Eamon de Valera, Aiken refused to do so but following pleas from Farrell at the request of Lynch on the night of the selection convention in the Town Hall in Dundalk Aiken publicly announced his retirement from politics on doctor's orders and endorsed Farrell's candidacy to succeed him.
He never again attended any Fianna Fáil function thereafter thus ending speculation that he would attempt to succeed de Valera as President.
(Collins, Stephen (The Powergame:Fianna Fáil Since Lemass); Arnold, Bruce (Jack Lynch:Hero in Crisis); Dwyer, Ryle T (Jack Lynch: Nice Fellow); Evans, Bryce & Kelly, Stephen (Frank Aiken:Nationalist and Internationalist).
[2] In fact at a Fianna Fáil party selection convention in Dundalk in 1981 he was de-selected by the then Constituency Delegate Cllr Thomas Bellew.