January 23, 2025
Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, General Secretary of the ruling People’s Progressive Party (PPP), has dismissed the recent agreement between the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and the Alliance for Change (AFC) as both “tragic and comic.”
Speaking at his weekly press conference, Jagdeo expressed skepticism about the seriousness of the agreement, which was described by AFC Leader Nigel Hughes as a form of “life support” for the party.
According to Jagdeo, this description alone highlights the lack of trust and credibility within the coalition.
“I think it’s tragic… they are just supporting themselves,” Jagdeo stated, reflecting his belief that the AFC’s decision to align with the larger People’s National Congress (PNC) is driven by a need to maintain some semblance of political relevance as they approach the 2025 elections.
While the AFC has selected Hughes as its presidential candidate, the PNC’s leader, Aubrey Norton, has also been nominated for the presidential role.
Norton has insisted that, if a coalition is formed, the presidential candidate should come from the PNC, given the party’s larger size.
Jagdeo urged Guyanese to closely watch this development, noting its similarities to the Cummingsburg Accord signed between the APNU and AFC in 2015.
He expressed doubts that this new agreement would yield any substantial results or positive outcomes, predicting it would follow the same path as previous failed attempts.
“This is part of an old playbook,” Jagdeo concluded, suggesting that the latest political maneuvering would not significantly impact the country’s political landscape.