PLP candidate Jamahl Simmons has accused the OBA of “political shenanigans” in the run-up to the by-election for Sandys South.

Mr Simmons, who is running against the OBA’s Georgia Marshall in Constituency #33, said that OBA canvassing teams had bad-mouthed him to residents.

He added that they had incorrectly told some constituents that they were not eligible to vote because they were not on the Parliamentary Register.

But, last night the OBA hit back, saying “canvassers have been encouraging voters to ensure they were registered by checking with the Parliamentary Registrar as there were some who were not registered for the by-election on November 18.”

A spokesman added: “As to claims that the Opposition candidate is untrustworthy, his record supports flip-flopping from one party to another.

“The Opposition candidate started as a member of the PLP, left to join the NLP and then tried his luck in the UBP.

“He was a UBP Cabinet member and vociferously criticised the PLP, alleging corruption and mismanagement.

“After leaving the UBP, he sat as an Independent MP before finally flipping back to the PLP.

“He was the Opposition spokesman before resigning following tweets he sent earlier this year [about] shooting people in the head and watching society burn.

“At the time, he described himself as a ‘political has-been’.

“Will the real Jamahl Simmons please stand up. It seems the only interests he has are his own self-interests.”

Yesterday, both Mr Simmons and Ms Marshall presented their nomination papers to the returning officer at Somers Isles Lodge in Sandys. They will go head-to-head at the polls on November 18.

Mr Simmons told The Royal Gazette: “One constituent reported to me that he was told he was not registered to vote by the OBA canvassers, despite the fact he had been voting as a constituent for more than 20 years.

“Another told me that she was told by the OBA, ‘Jamahl cannot be trusted. He tells lies.’ To which the lady responded, ‘Should I tell his family because I know them all very well?’

“These are just two examples of shenanigans. It seems that they want to talk about me because their record is abysmal.

“They want to talk about me to deflect from the fact that the debt has increased and they have failed to provide Bermudians with jobs.

“And if they talk about me, they don’t have to respond to the broken promises.”