FNM candidate for South Beach Howard Johnson speaks at the FNM convention in July. (Photo: File)

Free National Movement (FNM) candidate for South Beach Howard Johnson plans to soon end his campaign for the 2017 general election, The Nassau Guardian understands. It is understood that Johnson plans to move to the United States to further focus on his son's education, according to several party officials who said they were not authorized to speak publically on the matter.

Johnson's son is about to enter the 12th grade in a Florida school and the candidate has reportedly chosen to make that a priority over his political career. When contacted about Johnson's reported decision not to run, particularly after the contention surrounding the nomination, party leader Dr. Hubert Minnis said he did not wish to comment on the party's internal matters in the media. Johnson's plan to end his campaign follows a number of announcements from FNMs who have decided that they would not run in the next general election or seek renomination.

Last month, Central Grand Bahama MP Neko Grant and Fort Charlotte MP Dr. Andre Rollins confirmed they would not be seeking renomination. North Eleuthera MP Theo Neilly also recently announced his decision not to run for re-election. And on Tuesday, former FNM candidate for Bains Town and Grants Town Leonard Sands bowed out of the race. These moves come at a time when the party has been struggling to unite following the FNM national convention in late July.

In January, the FNM announced that Johnson, who ran for the party in South and Central Eleuthera in 2012, received a nomination for the next general election. A letter Johnson wrote to Minnis last September also emerged in January. He acknowledged that the leader wanted FNM Senator Monique Gomez to again be ratified for South Beach and said if he could not get that nomination he did not want any nomination.

Back in July, Johnson expressed that he was "very scared" about the ability of FNMs to unite after the national convention and that is "very scary for the Bahamian people who are looking for an alternative to the PLP". He said while Bahamians typically vote out governments, people do not believe the FNM is prepared to become the government.

Asked yesterday about his future with the FNM, Johnson said he had no comment.

Jayme C. Pinder, Guardian Staff Reporter

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