COI Leader Lincoln Bain talking with with more disgruntled FNM MPs

Coalition of Independents (COI) Leader Lincoln Bain revealed that his party is currently in discussions with several disgruntled members of the Free National Movement (FNM) about possibly joining the COI ahead of the 2026 general election.

This comes just moments after Central Grand Bahama MP, Iram Lewis, publicly announced his departure from the FNM to join the COI.

Bain’s comments further fuel growing speculation about the level of disunity within the FNM. According to Bain, the shifting political tides within the FNM are far from over.

“I urge FNM leader Michael Pintard to look to his left and look to his right in the House of Assembly and ask himself, who from his party will be the next”, said Bain, suggesting that more FNM members could follow in Lewis’s footsteps.

Lewis’s exit from the FNM was a clear signal that the cracks within the party are widening. His move to the COI adds weight to Bain’s claims of ongoing dissatisfaction within the FNM ranks.

Sources close to the COI leader say that conversations with other FNM MPs are ongoing, but no formal announcements have been made regarding additional defections.

The FNM’s leadership under Michael Pintard and Shanendon Cartwright has come under increasing scrutiny in recent months.

The party’s internal struggles were laid bare last year when former Prime Minister Dr. Hubert Minnis attempted to unseat Pintard during the FNM's leadership convention.

Despite Minnis’s efforts, Pintard emerged victorious, but the challenge exposed deep divisions within the party.

Additionally, there have been reports of tensions between Pintard and Deputy Leader Shanendon Cartwright, further casting doubt on their ability to unite the party and lead it to victory in the next general election.

The loss of Iram Lewis, a former cabinet minister, is seen as a blow to the FNM, and the possibility of more defections raises concerns about the party's internal stability.