APNU lost heavily in the 2025 elections, but could recover with fresh, visionary leadership

Dear Editor,
Significant anticipation had accompanied the Elections 2025 campaign, with political party leaders making numerous commitments—including substantial cash grants, poverty reduction, enhanced inclusivity, greater equity, transparency, and more responsive governance. The impact of these promises on voters was evident in the Elections 2025 results. A newly formed party, WIN (We Invest in Nationhood), which began participating in active politics three months ago, has shockingly moved APNU into the third force in Parliament, and it may become the official Parliamentary Opposition. The entry into politics by WIN has unsettled the PPP/C and APNU with its unexpected political growth and unconventional campaigning style. WIN’s leader, billionaire Mr Azruddin Mohamed, claims a poll of 80,000 shows 65 per cent support for his party. The results of that poll were never published. In the 2025 Elections, WIN capture 16 -four more than APNU—but it did not win the Presidency. WIN’s electoral impact on PPP/C was minimal, receiving fewer than 4,000 votes from the PPP/C base. The PPP/C, aided by incumbency and a robust campaign, increased its vote count from 233,336 in 2020 to 242,495, and raised its Parliamentary seat total from 33 to 36.
Low turnout in APNU strongholds (Regions 4 and 10 of 56.3 per cent and 55.1 per cent respectively) led to their poor results in 2025, as WIN outperformed APNU in 8 of 10 regions. APNU only led WIN in Regions 4 and 5. Nationally, APNU’s votes dropped by 64.2 per cent from 217,920 (2020) to 77,988 (2025). In Region 10, WIN outperformed APNU by 2:1 with a margin of 5,124 votes.
The PPP/C supporters were puzzled to understand why they did not get more votes than 4,260 in region 10, given their heavy deployment of several significant community development projects in that region. In that traditional APNU stronghold, they were even more bewildered that WIN secured substantially more votes than APNU and won that region. This result shows that immediate needs (instant gratification) often take priority over long-term benefits in materialistic societies like Guyana. Policymakers should consider this tendency.
Dr Irfaan Ali was inaugurated as the 9th Executive President of Guyana on Sunday September 8, 2025, consequent to GECOM’s Chair Justice Claudette Singh declaring that the PPP/C won the 2025 elections. It will be interesting to watch how the WIN party react to Dr Irfaan’s leadership style and governance. It is not the end of APNU; rather it is a time for deep reflection and introspection; and a time to realign its political strategies to communities’ needs. To bounce back into the political arena, however, APNU requires new and visionary leadership.

Sincerely,
Dr Tara Singh