Nomination Day: “Continuity and renewal” – Pres Ali as PPP/C presents ‘winning lists’ to GECOM

…APNU says lists “well-balanced”
…AFC submits lists, but yet to name PM candidate

In its bid for re-election, the ruling People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) on Monday submitted what leaders have described as the winning lists of candidates with ‘continuity and renewal’ as the main theme and youths in focus.
President Dr Irfaan Ali and Prime Minister (PM) Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips – both of whom are seeking re-election for a second term in office, joined PPP/C General Secretary (GS) and Head of the party’s lists Dr Bharrat Jagdeo on Monday morning as they led a massive crowd from the party’s Freedom House headquarters to the Umana Yana in Kingston, Georgetown, where their Lists of Candidates were handed over to Chief Election Officer (CEO) at the Guyana Election Commission (GECOM), Dr Vishnu Persaud. Those lists included professionals, women and youth as well as sugar workers, miners and rice farmers.

“We bring together all of Guyana… Our lists have continuity…representing all segments of our population,” President Ali declared.
“So, this is a winning list because we know, in that list, we represent all of Guyana. In that list, we represent every sector and in that list we represent what is good for Guyana and we’re presenting what is good for Guyana,” the President stressed.
Ali went onto emphasise that the PPP/C believes in preparing the next generation of leaders, giving them exposure and experience.
“We believe in Guyana 30-40 years from now, and the only way we can deliver that Guyana to successive generations is if we prepare leaders, if we prepare our young people, if we give them a chance and that is what we’re doing on the lists,” President Ali stated.

His running mate PM Phillips, similarly expressed that the PPP/C believes in having youths at the forefront of leadership and management of Guyana.
“On the 1st September, is the continuation of development, continuation of growth, continuation of focusing on having our youths in the forefront of leadership and management of Guyana. Development 2.0; growth 2.0,” Phillips declared.
In fact, among the youth representation on the PPP/C lists are 27 candidates who are below the age of 25 – something which GS Jagdeo says sets the party apart. He noted there is a clear differentiation between the PPP/C and its competitors in all aspects – outlook, plans for the future, performance and track record.
“The People’s Progressive Party has a demonstrated track record of laying out…sustainable plans and implementing those. We have a track record of implementing what we promise. We have a clear vision for the future…”

That vision, he added, has something for every category of Guyanese – something which is lacking from the PPP/C’s political opponents. He pointed to the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and Alliance For Change (AFC), which had five years of failed policies, broken promises and attempts to steal elections whereas United States (US)-sanctioned Azruddin Mohamed is marred in criminality.
“Any impartial person in this country, who had to choose a political party with a clear conscience, would choose the PPP,” Jagdeo emphasised, adding that the PPP is about “bringing people together”.
Predicting a massive victory at the September 1 polls, Jagdeo pointed out that the party has grown tremendously in every single community, among every race. While noting that supporters are energised about the party’s impending win, he, nevertheless, cautioned not to be complacent on Elections Day.
“We have the support, but now it’s to translate the support into votes on Election Day [and] that means high-turnout. We have to get people not to be complacent,” Jagdeo noted.
For those who are sitting on the fence, Jagdeo urged “Let’s show this country, we can break this pattern of racial voting. Let’s make this 2025 the year when we do that as a country… You can trust us.”
APNU’s
Meanwhile, former coalition partners, APNU+AFC have also expressed confidence after presenting their respective lists of Candidates to GECOM.
The party’s front runner, Aubrey Norton, believes that APNU’s lists of candidates are strong and balanced enough to deliver victory at the September 1 polls.
“We have a well-balanced list. It has some grassroots people as well because we believe there is need to be in touch with the average people. You have professional people, you have political experience, you have youths,” the APNU presidential hopeful told reporters after submitting his list.
Banking on professionals – like lawyers including Dexter Todd and Paul Williams; businessmen like Terrence Campbell and Saiku Andrews as well as WPA’s David Hinds, among others – Norton said he sincerely hopes that “…this composition of people will help us to win.”
Despite the mass exodus from the People’s National Congress Reform (PNC/R), the leading party in the APNU coalition, Norton remains confident, explaining that supporters understand how politics work and are galvanised.
Having been in the field since 2021, Norton says they were in touch and are well aware that supporters are energised. “We have a strong team… I believe we have the best team,” he stated.
APNU’s ticket features Norton alongside his Prime Ministerial Candidate Juretha Fernandes, who told reporters that she is ready for her role. According to Fernandes, while she is young, she has political experience to beat her contenders.
AFC without a PM candidate
Fernandes, a former AFC member, was poached by APNU to be their Prime Ministerial Candidate after negotiations collapsed with its former coalition partner.
In fact, the Nigel Hughes-led AFC presented the party’s lists of candidates to the CEO but is yet to name a Prime Ministerial Candidate
Hughes told reporters outside the Umana Yana on Monday that the party’s National Executive will be deciding on the PM candidate later this week.
“The highest-decision making body in the party…has to consider all the names on the list as potential candidate for Prime Minister… There are quite a few, in excess of four [names],” Hughes told reporters.
But while it seems as the AFC is yet to recover from the impact of the APNU fallout, Hughes dismissed this, stating that the party has gotten “new fresh blood” in the person of Jaipaul Sharma, who previously served as Junior Finance Minister under the APNU+AFC Coalition Government.
The AFC’s presidential hopeful, who will be contesting in all the regions, believes his party reflects Guyana.
“This is perhaps the broadest of representatives we can get. Fifty per cent of Cabinet, if we’re lucky enough to be elected, will be women. Almost fifty per cent of our candidates on the list are females and they’re also ethnically diverse,” Hughes stated.