Jack is Back. After announcing his decision to contest the Lopinot/Bon Air West seat under the Independent Labour Party, Jack Warner revealed on Friday, that his decision to join the election 2020 race was partially due to an apparent ‘axe to grind’ over the People’s National Movement’s pick for the area, Marvin Gonzales.

“He is a rank outsider from Maraval who the PNM has parachuted in Lopinot/Bon Air West. Do you mean to say that in a constituency of over 25,000 persons, the PNM could not have found one candidate to represent us?” Warner asked during a media briefing hosted in Arouca.

The ILP candidate’s other opponent for the seat is the United National Congress’ Praksash Williams. 

Warner, who claimed to have worked with Dr. Rowley during the 2015 lead up to the polls, said he would not be open to any talks with the Prime Minister this time around. He noted that he would, however, entertain the possibility of speaking with UNC political leader, Kamla Persad Bissessar. 

Warner said his animosity towards the PNM stemmed from what he described as corrupt practices he engaged in with the party during the last election cycle, including facilitating a smear campaign against then UNC candidate for St. Joseph, Vasant Bharath, through his Sunshine Newspaper.

“We agreed to hold a Sunshine Hour on 91.1fm in the St Joseph constituency which I did on the Eastern Main Road in Mt Hope and to use the Sunshine newspaper to attack Vasant Bharath especially in the last issue before the General Election,” he said. 

Asked why he did not take his corruption claims to the authorities, he said he did not think it prudent to do so, admitting that he did not have enough evidence.