Presidential Candidate of the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Aubrey Norton says there is ‘hope for the future’ in its relations with former coalition partner, the Alliance For Change (AFC).
Both the APNU and AFC are experiencing dwindling support this electoral season, with Norton recently admitting to rationing his party’s resources on the campaign trail.
In fact, APNU’s recent public meetings and rallies have not been attracting large gatherings. Additionally, both the APNU and AFC have experienced a mass exodus of members, many of whom have complained of the lack of vision among their leaders.
Though they teamed up to contest the elections jointly in 2015 and 2020, the two political parties are heading to this year’s polls independently.
This decision was made after the parties failed to agree to terms of another coalition, with each side fighting for greater power in the alliance.
The AFC and APNU first joined forces in 2015 under the Cummingsburg Accord, revised in 2019 with fewer concessions for the AFC before expiring in December 2022. The coalition won the 2015 elections but lost power after a no-confidence motion in 2018.
Originally, the AFC held a 40 per cent stake in the coalition, which was reduced to 30 per cent in the 2019 revision. The party’s declining influence was reflected in its poor performance in the 2018 local Government elections and its perceived role in the no-confidence motion’s passage. Following their 2020 election loss, the APNU/AFC alliance officially ended in December 2022.
The rift between the two parties was further cemented when three AFC parliamentarians crossed over to the APNU, blindsiding the Nigel Hughes-led political grouping, which then issued a statement announcing the members’ expulsion from the party.
The crossover members are Juretha Fernandes, who is now the APNU’s prime ministerial candidate, as well as Sherod Duncan and Deonarine Ramsaroop.
Speaking during a GlobeSpan24X7 programme on Monday, Norton said “the reality is there is no coalition with the AFC. However, I don’t think we are enemies and therefore there is hope for the future.”
But even as Norton has seemingly extended an olive branch to the AFC, he is also grappling with internal splinters within his own political space. The People’s National Congress Reform (PNC/R)—the largest party within APNU—has faced notable defections and realignments in recent months.
Among them are MPs Jermaine Figueira, Geeta Chandan-Edmond, Amanza Walton-Desir, and Natasha Singh-Lewis.
Additionally, Regional Chairman and Vice Chairman for Region Four, Daniel Seeram and Samuel Sandy, have left the PNCR.
Former PNCR Central Executive member, Dr Richard Van West-Charles, former PNC member Thandi McAllister, former General Secretary of the Guyana Youth and Student Movement (GYSM), the youth arm of the PNCR Lance Smith, former parliamentarian James Bond, and former Georgetown Mayor and longstanding PNC member Patricia Chase-Green have all left the party.
Many have gone on to endorse President Dr Irfaan Ali and the Peoples Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) for a second term in office.
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