Wavell Hinds has ended his bid for candidacy in South Eastern St Ann.

Hinds, who was vying to be the standard bearer to replace Lisa Hanna for the People’s National party (PNP), said the last eight months have been “gruelling, exciting, and successful.”

In a statement Thursday, Hinds said the campaign has not only left him with many lessons but has tested his leadership skills.

Hinds also congratulated comrades Dr Kenneth Russell and Patricia Duncan Sutherland, who also contested the race for the hot seat. In an internal poll earlier this month, 778 delegates cast ballots at Ferncourt High School in Claremont in the parish. Russell got 358 votes, Hinds received 245, Duncan Sutherland 171. Four votes were rejected.

The PNP’s Election Monitoring Committee has been tasked with finding a resolution after a clear winner failed to emerge.

READ: PNP decision on St Ann South East by Monday

This is Hinds’ second attempt at a constituency seat. In 2018, the former batsman was the PNP’s candidate in Hanover Eastern. But before that, Hinds’ name was first linked to two seats in his home parish of St Catherine — St Catherine South Eastern and St Catherine East Central.

READ: Hinds goes to bat on bouncy Hanover Eastern political pitch

As the PNP hopes to keep South Eastern St Ann as a stronghold, Hinds said his candidacy journey has taught him the meaning of true loyalty and comradeship and has strengthened his belief that “the interest of the People’s National Party is more important than the ambitions of any single individual.”

Hinds maintained that he would stay and work to ensure that St Ann South Eastern remains in the Party’s hands.

“This promise now extends to Comrade Russell and his team. We are all Comrades, and we have one aim – to become the next government because Jamaica needs the People’s National Party…Time come. The trumpet has sounded,” Hinds said.