The Tribune

By KHRISNA VIRGIL

Deputy Chief Reporter

kvirgil@tribunemedia.net

DISCORD reportedly continues within the Free National Movement (FNM), this time in the Mount Moriah Constituency Association, with one executive member expressing anger over an apparent snub concerning his candidacy for the seat.

In a lengthy text message sent via messenger service WhatsApp, Collin Ingraham, an association executive, expressed grave displeasure over reports that despite promises that he was slated to be the party’s pick to run in the next election, another person had been chosen.

It is speculated that this person is a former high-ranking officer of the Royal Bahamas Police Force.

“The Mount Moriah Association will go to bat to fight the leader,” Mr Ingraham said in the message obtained by The Tribune.

“He has determined along with his advisors to not ratify me at the behest of the very people I helped him defeat. When he was at his lowest and no one wanted to touch him, it was (former FNM Chairman Michael) Pintard and I along with a few other soldiers who started this movement. We shielded him and developed a winning campaign.

“Today I have the strongest support of any ratified or nominated candidate on the island of New Providence. I have the support of 90 per cent of the executives and all but four persons in the constituency association.”

He continued: “Yet today they will seek to say that I am not worthy and will seek to push a different candidate on Mount Moriah. I hold no personal issue with him.”

However, when contacted yesterday party Chairman Sidney Collie suggested that Mr Ingraham needed to go through the proper candidate selection process. He said when this process is complete, only the council had the power to decide who will go on to become ratified candidates. He added that the party has received almost 200 applications, one of which he believes is Mr Ingraham’s.

Mr Collie said he would not comment directly on Mr Ingraham’s remarks but could only say that this process was smooth and moving along nicely.

This comes amid news this week that a faction in Long Island drafted a petition to oust that constituency’s MP Loretta Butler-Turner, reported uncertainty over Montagu MP Richard Lightbourn’s future with the party, and confirmation from FNM member Howard Johnson that he was dropping out of the race for the Bain and Grants Town constituency.

Mr Ingraham sent another message yesterday evening, this time to clarify his earlier remarks, saying despite reportedly being passed over for the seat, he would continue to support the party and plans to vote FNM in the next election.

Mr Ingraham vied to be the FNM’s standard-bearer in North Eleuthera ahead of the 2012 general election; however he did not receive the nomination.