Minnis doesn’t rule out leader bid

By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune Senior Reporter

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

 FORMER Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis refused to say whether he would accept or reject a nomination for leader of the Free National Movement at the party’s next convention if someone nominates him on the convention floor.

 Asked about the matter in an interview that aired on Eyewitness News last night, Dr Minnis continually skirted the issue, ultimately saying: “I can’t answer that.”

 His response comes amid widespread speculation in the FNM that he is aware of a move to have someone nominate him for leader on the convention floor, paving the way for him to contest the position without directly offering himself for the role.

 Sources say Dr Minnis has been making a number of calls to council members and meritorious council members since the general election.

While the content of the calls is unclear, many in the party have interpreted them as an effort to shore up support for a possible leadership run.

 Dr Minnis did not respond to a message from The Tribune on Tuesday asking if he would run for leader if nominated on the convention floor.

 Last month, FNM Chairman Carl Culmer confirmed to reporters that Dr Minnis, during a meeting with council members, said he will not offer himself up for leadership.

 “We will have an opportunity to choose another leader,” Mr Culmer said. “Dr Minnis also pledged to work with (the new) leader, whomever he may be, so that the FNM will be battle ready for the election whenever it is called.”

 During his television interview, Dr Minnis said: “You know how the Westminster system works. The Westminster system of which we follow (dictates) that if a party loses an election the leader takes responsibility and the leader submits his resignation and the party determines the direction moving forward and I have done the proper thing.”

 Dr Minnis did not resign as leader of the FNM after last month’s general election loss. He instead offered to remain leader until someone new takes over at the convention.

 Asked a second time about the convention, he interrupted the interviewer and said: “Allow me to repeat. I’ve followed the Westminster system. It is the leader takes full responsibility and it is the party deals with that.”

 Asked a third time about the matter, he said: “Anything’s possible, anything’s possible. When I make my decisions, once my conscience is clear and I ask my God for guidance I am happy.”

 Asked if he would accept a nomination on the convention floor, he said: “I can’t answer that, I don’t know what the party (wants). My interests right now is to be involved in the building of the Free National Movement, ensure that we are a machine that’s ready to take over and (that we are) a machine with all the amenities to take the Bahamas to another level.”

 The FNM’s council is expected to meet tonight to discuss when the party will hold its convention. Although Mr Culmer said last month that the party agreed to hold the convention in November, The Tribune understands that some may push tonight for a February convention.

 Some FNM insiders believe a leadership run and victory for Dr Minnis could divide the party. Most of the FNM’s parliamentary caucus voted for Dr Minnis to be leader of the official opposition with the expectation that he would step down when a new leader is elected. It is not clear how the caucus would react to him remaining FNM leader for the long-term.

 To date, no one has officially announced their intention to run for FNM leader.

Comments

tribanon says...

THE HUGE MISTAKE made by the executive board and council of the FNM party in allowing disgraced Minnis to be opposition leader has already come home to roost. LOL

Posted 7 October 2021, 8:51 a.m. Suggest removal

ohdrap4 says...

Good to see rumors of your death were greatly exagerated.

Posted 7 October 2021, 11:07 a.m. Suggest removal

tribanon says...

Yeah, I heard about all of that wishful thinking on @Topdude's part. Poor guy must be most disappointed he's now gonna be haunted and taunted by the ghost of dead Tribanon. My absence was due to attending a dear friend's wedding in Maine.

Posted 7 October 2021, 4:23 p.m. Suggest removal

Proguing says...

Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo...

This can only take place because a duopoly governs the Bahamas.

Minnis knows that in the next elections Bahamians will vote out the PLP and it does not matter who will be leading the FNM. They could have Donald Duck and win.

Posted 7 October 2021, 8:59 a.m. Suggest removal

tribanon says...

Not too worry. Just as Christie and Ingraham could never again be PM, so too Minnis will never again be PM. If there's one thing Bahamian voters will never be able to stomach, it's a corrupt, incompetent and really BIG TIME disgraced loser in a national general election. And in that department, they don't come any bigger than Minnis. LOL

Posted 7 October 2021, 9:28 a.m. Suggest removal

moncurcool says...

Do not forget that both Ingrahm and Christie were voted out and voted back in 5 years later. Our people have a serious intelligence lapse. You just need to call something new and they fall for the banana in the tail pipe.

Posted 7 October 2021, 9:43 a.m. Suggest removal

tribanon says...

Yes, but not after Ingraham and Christie each suffered their most embarrassing and humiliating defeat at the polls. There's really no coming back in Bahamian politics today for a former PM who has successfully labelled himself as a national disgrace. While most Bahamian voters may be prone to a lapse in intelligence, their pride simply cannot stomach a really big time disgraced loser. And this is also precisely why Minnis will not be able to offer any type of effective opposition to the Davis led PLP administration either inside or outside of parliament.

Posted 7 October 2021, 10:47 a.m. Suggest removal

Emilio26 says...

I really hope COI leader Lincoln Bain could garner a few seats in parliament in the next election?

Posted 7 October 2021, 11:21 a.m. Suggest removal

tribanon says...

You obviously either don't know Lincoln Bain or simply choose to ignore what he's most well known for. LOL

Posted 7 October 2021, 3:54 p.m. Suggest removal

jackbnimble says...

Why is anyone shocked. I tell you if it acts like a snake and crawls like a snake, guess what? It IS a snake.

Posted 7 October 2021, 8:59 a.m. Suggest removal

bahamianson says...

Wait , are we crazy or what? Did Brave davis not lose and election in a disgraceful fashion? Did Fred Mitchell not lose? Did obie not lose before? All of them lose and comeback , and I am not supporting anyone. It is what it is. But no one can say that a candidate cannot come back if she or he loses.it is up to the person and the voters.

Posted 7 October 2021, 10:07 a.m. Suggest removal

tribanon says...

Yes, but Davis, Mitchell and others like them were not PM at the time they suffererd their embarrassing defeats at the polls in past general elections. The political career ending tarnishing for a disgraceful shellacking at the polls is rightfully always reserved for the sitting PM at the time whether or not he is able to retain his own seat in parliament.

Posted 7 October 2021, 10:51 a.m. Suggest removal

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