Ousted former premier Craig Cannonier is to make a fresh attempt to lead the One Bermuda Alliance.

Mr Cannonier, who quit in the wake of the Jetgate controversy in 2014, is to stand for leader of the party against interim Opposition leader Patricia Gordon-Pamplin.

Jeanne Atherden, the Shadow Minister of Finance, was also said to have thrown her hat in the ring, while Leah Scott is believed to have been unopposed in her candidacy as deputy leader.

Mr Cannonier entered politics in 2009 as a candidate for the Bermuda Democratic Alliance and became party leader in 2010.

The BDA later joined forces with most of the United Bermuda Party to form the OBA and Mr Cannonier was elected party leader.

Mr Cannonier became premier in the wake of the OBA’s election defeat of the Progressive Labour Party in December 2012.

But Mr Cannonier opted to step down less than two years later after a row over a trip in a private jet to the US. Michael Dunkley replaced him as Premier.

Mr Cannonier’s links to Jetgate sent his approval rating tumbling, but he was said to have sought support for a fresh leadership bid in December 2016.

Bob Richards, the former deputy premier, said after the OBA was defeated by the Progressive Labour Party in July that Mr Cannonier had been unfairly pushed out of office.

Mr Richards told The Royal Gazette a month after the PLP landslide that Mr Cannonier had been “the right man for the job” and backed his return as leader.

Mr Dunkley stepped down as party leader after the election defeat and signalled his intention to take a political back seat.

Mr Cannonier could not be contacted for comment yesterday.