GEORGETOWN, Guyana, CMC – The leader of the coalition opposition group, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), Aubrey Norton, has written to the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) requesting that it not declare the results of Monday’s general and regional elections.
“Ultimately, APNU requests that you intervene immediately to direct the Commission not to declare the election results before the completion of a forensic audit of electoral data, including electors’ votes and/or order that fresh elections are now due, in light of the circumstances,” he said in the letter sent to the GECOM chairman, retired Justice Claudette Singh.
The ruling People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) has stated that it won the September 1 elections convincingly, and preparations are underway to swear in President Irfaan Ali for a second five-year term as head of state.
But in his letter, which is copied to the British High Commissioner Jane Miller, American Ambassador Nicole Theriot, Canadian High Commissioner Sébastien Sigouin, and the heads of the regional and international organisations that monitored the polls, Norton wants GECOM to seek a forensic audit of the elections instead, demanding also that the entire 2025 elections be aborted.
He is contending that the will of the Guyanese people has now been thrown into question, pointing out that some Presiding Officers had failed to sign the Statements of Poll (SOP), as well as Election Officers failing to adhere to the Representation of the People Act (ROPA).
He said that there has also been a failure to provide Polling Agents with accurate SOPs after certification of the ballots.
The PPP/C claims to have won at least 36 of the 65 seats in the National Assembly, having received 242,498 votes, compared to 109,066 for its closest rivals, the newly formed We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) of controversial businessman Azruddin Mohamed, and 77,928 for the APNU.
The Forward Guyana Movement (FGM) received 4,226 votes. In comparison, the Alliance For Change (AFC) garnered 3,610 votes, and the Assembly for Liberty and Prosperity (ALP) secured 969 votes, making them the other parties in the race.
Ali has dismissed the opposition demands for fresh general and regional elections as “nonsense” and ridiculous”, reiterating that the results declared by GECOM so far show they lost the elections.
“The life of this country is important. And the people continue to see who plays with the life of this country, who plays with the life of the citizens, who don’t care about the citizens and the development of this country,” Ali said as he paid a visit to GECOM’s headquarters on Friday.
Ali said that the PPP/C is committed to keeping the country “intact” and “safe” for a favourable investment climate, slamming the opposition’s actions as “playing games with (the) country’s life…the people’s life…(and]) the electoral process.
The incumbent said,” All of the electoral observation bodies said elections were free and fair. So what is the issue? ”.
In the three-page letter to the GECOM chair, Norton wrote that the results “do not reflect the will of the Guyanese people” and there is a need for a forensic audit of electoral data, including electors’ votes, on behalf of APNU, entirely based on “egregious violations” of Guyana’s Constitution and the Representation of the People Act.
Norton said serious questions have arisen regarding the integrity of the votes cast, as there have been allegations of tampering with ballot boxes.
“More particularly, our demand that the electoral process be wholly aborted is advanced in light of the Report of the European Union Observer Mission, now in public circulation. The EU Report validates our assertion that the national elections were neither free nor fair.
“The report noted the PPP/C had an undue advantage of incumbency. Further, the media landscape was highly politicised with disproportionate coverage in favour of the PPP/C,” Norton wrote.
The APNU’s presidential candidate said the irregularities were previously brought to GECOM’s attention by the APNU’s Assistant Agent for District 4, Sub-district 4, in the presence of local and international observers during the tabulation of results on 2nd September.
He said the “irregularities” formed part of the basis for the party’s request for a recount of votes in Sub-district 4 of District 4 and part of District 5.
He said the recounts have so far revealed several other issues, including a biased determination of rejected ballots and GECOM’s failure to announce the official stamp or six-digit number on each ballot paper during the recount.
“The erosion of confidence among Guyanese electors is palpable,” Norton wrote, adding that the coalition has received evidence demonstrating the gross dereliction of duties and negligence of presiding officers appointed by GECOM.
He said those had been exacerbated by actions of GECOM, “resulting in collusion, conspiracy, and deliberate abrogation of the will of the Guyanese people.”
Norton said serious questions have arisen regarding the integrity of the votes cast, as there have been allegations of tampering with ballot boxes.
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