THE Free National Movement woke to an unwanted surprise on one of the busiest days of the political calendar on Friday after the party's headquarters was ransacked overnight.

As party supporters fan out around the country on Nomination Day, FNM Chairman Carl Culmer said they will not be deterred because burglars cut through the roof of their headquarters on Mackey Street and sullied the building.

A small safe was forced open and some cash stolen.

Burglars tried to log into a computer in the office, though Mr Culmer said no data was compromised.

"It's hard to say what the motive was," he told The Tribune. "But this is the first time since I've been around here that something like this has happened."

In a press statement released after his interview with The Tribune, Mr Culmer called on political parties to rebuke such acts.

“This morning it was discovered that the FNM headquarters was broken into at some point last night. We don’t have any details at the moment but are hopeful that an investigation will bring answers and justice will be served,” Mr Culmer’s statement noted.

“It doesn’t seem coincidental that our party’s headquarters would be broken into on the evening before Nomination Day, but regardless of intent, it is a shame that someone would do this after the years of peaceful elections that our country is proud of.

“We encourage all political parties in The Bahamas to rebuke this type of behaviour as it has no place in our electoral process. The FNM will provide more information when it becomes available.”

More on this story later.