Allegations of electoral irregularities during the recent Congress of the People’s National Congress (PNC) prove the party has no credibility to speak about free and fair elections.
This is according to Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs Anil Nandlall on Tuesday during his programme “Issues in the News”.
“If they can’t ensure that their own elections are free, fair and democratic, if they are accepting publicly that their own elections are undemocratic and fraudulent and irregular, then how can they present themselves as democratic. How can they ever speak about free and fair elections and about a transparent process,” he said.
Nandlall reminded that this is the same political party “whose members and supporters would want you to believe that they are the champions of democracy.”
Referring to the drama that unfolded during the 2020 elections, Nandlall noted that “they have not yet accepted that they attempted on multiple occasions to steal those elections…”
He also reminded that allegations of electoral irregularities also surfaced within the PNC when former leader David Granger was elected.
“Everytime they had elections, internal elections, you see the hand of fraud, you hear allegations of fraud, from them.”
Aubrey Norton was elected leader of the PNC, after his only two competitors – Roysdale Forde and Amanza Walton-Desir – withdrew from contesting due to concerns about the electoral process.
Nandlall also spoke about the events that surrounding the Congress of the Alliance For Change (AFC) where Nigel Hughes emerged as the party’s new leader.
“It is the nucleolus of the leadership that hijacked the elections from the electoral,” Nandlall said referring to how Hughes’ was elected.
“They threw out Khemraj Ramjattan completely and obviously Sherod Duncan became a casualty, poor Sherod,” Nandlall expressed, noting that “whether you like him or not, he’s there day-in day-out.”
“Nigel Hughes leapfrogged a week before elections and hijacked the whole thing,” he added.
According to Nandlall, “that is what you have passing for democratic elections in these political parties.”
“That is why they cannot come close to the People’s Progressive Party. Look at their Congresses and look at the PPP Congress. It’s chalk to cheese, there’s nothing to compare,” he said.
