Former members of the Peoples National Congress-led A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and the Alliance For Change (AFC) who have endorsed the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) are being welcomed with open arms, according to PPP General Secretary Dr Bharrat Jagdeo.
“PPP supporters are happy for that because they see people recognising that we are changing the country,” he said during a press conference on Thursday.
Jagdeo pointed out that these endorsements only prove that the PPP is growing stronger and further embracing its mission to become as a national and multiethnic party.
The PPP GS was at the time responding to a report in another section of the media which quoted President Dr Irfaan Ali saying that there were very few complaints from long-serving PPP members that defectors from the opposition were joining his party to be rewarded.
While acknowledging that this may be a minority view among supporters, the PPP General Secretary reiterated during his press conference that none of those persons were promised any positions. Jagdeo had already made this clear during his press conference last week, noting that even the current ministers do not know if they will be returning to their offices after the September 1 polls.
Meanwhile, on Thursday, Jagdeo further clarified that those who have switched sides are not being forced to formally join the PPP nor are they being asked to condemn the political opposition where they served as members for many years.
“When people come to us, we don’t say you have to prove to us by cussing the people where you came from. We don’t demand that from them,” he said, adding that “they don’t have to become members of our party to be part of our national campaign. They don’t have to be members of our party to be welcomed in our collective.”
Jagdeo noted that while the former opposition members can choose to share their experiences, it is not mandated.
Responding to comments about the PPP now accepting “riggers” or those who attempted to rig the 2020 General and Regional Elections, he said it is the responsibility of the leaders of the PNC/APNU and the Alliance For Change (AFC) to apologise to the nation for their actions relating to the 2020 elections.
“The leadership of those parties have to do that. Nigel Hughes who is the leader of that party (AFC), he has refused to do that and [Leader of the APNU, Aubrey] Norton. In fact, they keep insisting that they won the elections,” the GS pointed out.
Among those persons who have recently come forward to endorse the PPP are: former Vice President and Minister of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs under the APNU+AFC government Sydney Allicock, former People’s National Congress (PNC) General Secretary and Opposition Parliamentarian Geeta Chandan-Edmond, Alliance For Change (AFC) Regional Councillor Ismail Muhammad- Al-Cush, and Chairman of the Region Seven division of the AFC David Daniels.
Additionally, Regional Vice Chairman for Region Four and member of the PNC Samuel Sandy has endorsed the PPP. He joined Executive Member of the PNC/R and Region Four Chairman Daniel Seeram, who endorsed also President Ali for a second term.
Former PNC/R Central Executive member, Dr Richard Van-West Charles said he believes that President Ali is the leader Guyana needs now. Dr Charles is the son-in-law of former president and founder of the PNC, Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham.
Former PNC members James Bond and Thandi McAllister also threw their support behind the PPP.
In 2023, former General Secretary of the Guyana Youth and Student Movement (GYSM), the youth arm of the PNCR, Lance Smith and former Georgetown Mayor and longstanding PNC member, Patricia Chase-Green broke ties with the PNC and joined the PPP/C to contest the Local Government Elections.
Additionally, leaders of other smaller parties – The Citizenship Initiative (TCI) Shaz Ally, The New Movement (TNM) Asha Kissoon, and the Liberty and Justice Party (LJP) Lenox Shuman – have also joined the PPP/C ahead of the 2025 General and Regional Elections.
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