Simpson, however, said he is in the political arena due to his love for Jamaica and his desire to fight against factors that are not right, including corrupt politicians.

The former labourite was on Sunday officially selected as the PNP's candidate to represent the North East St Ann constituency in the next general elections.

The delegates of the constituency ratified Simpson ahead of Sunday's divisional conference at Ocho Rios High School on Sunday.

He is expected to run against incumbent North East St Ann Member of Parliament (MP), the JLP's Marsha Smith, whose stint in the seat has been marred by at least two major protests by disgruntled JLP supporters who have accused her of poor representation.

Unconfirmed reports, however, are that the JLP could replace Smith with Senator Matthew Samuda ahead of the national polls that are due by 2025.

Samuda, a Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, has been active in the constituency, as seen by photographs and videos that have been posted online, in which he is noticeably seen attending functions in the area.

Speaking at the PNP's divisional conference on Sunday night, Simpson appears to have caught wind of the purported developments taking place in the constituency on the JLP side.

"Already dem fraid a mi..., because dem (reportedly) a move the MP. They know the MP cannot stand up against me, so dem have to move her," Simpson claimed.

"But mek dem send the likkle man come. A hear people tell mi dat him in the constituency...," said the ex-JLP member

He then made some unsubstantiated claims relative to the actions of the individual who he described as the 'likkle man'.

"Comrades, mi nah nuh problem wid you nyaming him out. Nyam him out and then vote him out!" urged Simpson to loud roars from supporters.

When the noise died down, the minister of religion by profession told his supporters that he wanted to speak seriously with them, and made a rather unusual admission from a local politician.

"I want to tell you the truth - the honest truth from the bottom of my heart - I hate politics, I do not like politics, I hate politics," he declared.

"You know why I hate politics? I hate politics because politics divides people. Politics turn good friends into fierce enemies; politicians weaponise partisan politics and turn Jamaicans against each other!" Simpson admitted.

Despite holding that view, he said he is in politics because "there are somethings that I hate more than politics, and I have to stand up against them", which he said include corrupt politicians.

"I choose politics because I love Jamaica," stated Simpson.

He was removed as the JLP's candidate in South East St Ann days before Nomination Day for the 2020 General Elections after it was revealed that he had breached coronavirus quarantine orders.

He was initially replaced by educator Maxine Simpson, but she was also subsequently removed by the JLP hierarchy and replaced by fellow educator, Delroy Granston, who went on to lose by only 31 votes against the PNP's Lisa Hanna.

Simpson quit the JLP by August 2021, and a year later, joined the PNP. By September of 2022, he was selected as the party's North East St Ann constituency chairman.