Minnis begging for votes in FNM leadership race

Free National Movement (FNM) Leader Dr. Hubert Minnis is feverishly calling the party’s meritorious council members and trying to drum up support in an attempt to be re-elected as FNM leader at the opposition party’s one-day convention on November 27.

Minnis suffered another blow on Thursday night when he proposed to have the convention date postponed to later this year or perhaps even next year.

However, the majority of council members weren’t having it and outvoted Minnis 76-33 for the convention to be held in November as promised.

Minnis’ plan is to spend the next six weeks “sweeting up” council members for their votes in the leadership race. However, he could be facing an uphill battle. Many FNMs believe Minnis’ arrogance and contemptuous attitude towards the Bahamian people cost the party the September 16 election.

They fear if Minnis stays on as leader, the governing Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) could secure another term in office.

Minnis has already fallen out of favor with members of his parliamentary caucus who are plotting to pull a page out of the Loretta Butler-Turner playbook and have him removed as Leader of the Official Opposition if he stays on as FNM leader after the convention.

However, Minnis has told his inner circle that he does not want to sit as a member of parliament in the House of Assembly if he is not leader.

If Minnis fails to regain his party’s support on November 27, it would likely mean he will be the country’s shortest serving prime minister and the only one-term PM in Bahamian history.

Sir Lynden Pindling served as prime minister for 25 years.

Hubert Ingraham enjoyed three non-consecutive terms as PM before he was forced into retirement by former law partner and friend Perry Christie, who served two non-consecutive terms as PM.