Responding to mounting concerns over the holding of the Party’s General Congress, People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Central and Executive Member Bharrat Jagdeo has declared that he really does not care when it happens.
“Frankly speaking, if it’s held tomorrow or next year, I don’t care, it does not make a difference to me. Whether it’s held tomorrow or next year, what will change?” Jagdeo remarked during a news conference on Wednesday at Freedom House, Robb Street.
According to the Party’s constitution, a General Congress is to be held this year during which Party members will be afforded the opportunity to discuss a number of issues as well as nominate and elect new leaders.
Much debate has erupted in the public domain over this event and an apparent clash among the Party leadership over the next presidential candidate.
But Jagdeo insisted that there is no such struggle within the Party.
“The whole issue about the PPP and the so-called internal problem, I believe that APNU [A Partnership for National Unity] and the coalition have taken such a hammering about their coalition and their partnership, that there are some people who are interested, some people in the media, some directed by the Prime Minister…so they are trying to foment that there is something comparable…then they go…and try to make an issue where there is none,” he explained.
PPP General Secretary Clement Rohee had told media operatives that the Party’s Executive Committee would consider a date for the Congress, and afterwards, the Central Committee would discuss and determine the final date.
Rohee, a member of the Central Committee, said he did not want to pre-judge the decision taken by the Committee.
Nonetheless, he explained that the constitution of the Party stipulated that only the Central Committee could postpone the Congress.
“It doesn’t have to give any specific reasons why they are postponing the Congress…The members themselves would discuss among and determine whether they would hold it this year or not,” he stated.
However, Jagdeo disclosed that the Committee was yet to meet and discuss the matter.
In the meantime, the Opposition Leader noted that the PPP/Civic was working on developing its structure to include younger faces, more women and people of diverse ethnic backgrounds.
Reports of a brewing power struggle within the PPP/C camp are nothing new.
The issue was resurrected recently after an article published in one of the local dailies stated that there was a rift among senior executive members over who should be the presidential candidate for the next General and Regional Elections.
The information was credited to a “source”; apparently, some members are rooting for former Housing Minister Irfaan Ali while others are backing former Culture, Youth and Sport Minister, Dr Frank Anthony.
The article also pointed out that former President and Opposition Leader Jagdeo has his mind set on serving a third term as President after former Chief Justice Ian Chang (ag) ruled that the two-term presidential term-limit was unconstitutional.
Asked about his plans for 2020 (when the next General and Regional Elections are slated to be held), Jagdeo said he would disclose those on a later date as he was yet to decide.
It is also rumoured that Rohee has presidential aspirations; however, when previously queried on this, the General Secretary declined to comment.
