Norton’s popularity dwindles as Opposition members challenge his handling of APNU’s LGE defeat

Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton, during a press conference after the Local Government Elections (LGE), was confident in the performance of the People’s National Congress (PNC)-led A Partnership for National Unity (APNU). But as the dust settles, senior members of the Opposition parties are less than happy with Norton as the leader of the party.
Using his social media page, Alliance For Change (AFC) Member of Parliament and former Public Infrastructure Minister David Patterson offered a critical analysis not only of APNU’s performance at the LGE but of Norton as a leader.
Patterson lauded the fact that the PNC-led APNU coalition did maintain control of its strongholds such as Georgetown and Linden. In the same breath, however, he pointed out that it did so despite a lukewarm Opposition campaign, an opposition who is “not overwhelmingly popular” and at a time when the party is facing internal revolt within its ranks.

Patterson further commented that areas of concern for the Opposition are voter apathy, internal disunity, muddled messaging and lack of youth involvement. He noted that should the Opposition manage to resolve these issues, “the road to 2025 (General and Regional Elections) will be an interesting journey”.
Another AFC figure, former Guyana National Broadcasting Authority (GNBA) Chairman Lennox Craig was critical of APNU’s performance at the polls. It was not lost on him that the Opposition’s inability to even contest in a number of constituencies, at a time when the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) has extended its campaign beyond its traditional strongholds, speaks volumes to the dire state of the PNC.
He pointed out that in LGE 2018, the PPP/C won seven seats in Georgetown. But in this year’s LGE, the PPP/C has moved up to 11 seats. When this and the fact that outgoing APNU Mayor Ubraj Narine and outgoing APNU Deputy Mayor Alfred Mentore, both lost their seats in LGE 2023, he questioned why APNU was celebrating having retained their strongholds even as the PPP continues to make inroads and expand its reach.
“Only a learned fool would think that APNU would lose in New Amsterdam, Linden and Georgetown… that’s not going to happen for the foreseeable future. It’s one thing for ordinary supporters to be celebrating in that manner, but an entirely different thing when leaders and executives can ignore the tea leaves,” Craig further said.
Craig had described APNU in a previous post as appearing “rudderless, lukewarm, lethargic and politically dishevelled”, pointing out that it has not even set foot in PPP/C strongholds and non-traditional territories.
“No attempts at widening their base. In many usually contested NDCs [Neighbourhood Democratic Councils], they didn’t bother to put up a single candidate and in some of their own strongholds they didn’t field candidates. In the meantime, the PPP/C have met 100 per cent candidate requirements in 100 per cent Local Authority Areas.
“In APNU strongholds where the PPP/C was previously utterly unwelcome, folks are now dancing in PPP colours. GECOM has already declared no contest and awarded a total of 193 seats from 13 LAAs to the PPP,” Craig said in his piece on the state of APNU.
Also on Tuesday, claims by leaders of the PNC Reform that the party “won” a resounding victory at the LGE were challenged by former PNC Member of Parliament (MP) James Bond. In a statement on his social media account, Bond urged his fellow PNC supporters not to fall prey to claims by the PNCR leadership, that the LGE results were a success for the PNC.
So far, the PPP has won the majority votes in seven of the country’s 10 townships in a move that Party General Secretary, Bharrat Jagdeo, has described as a “wipeout” of APNU. These townships are Mabaruma, Anna Regina, Rose Hall, Corriverton, Lethem, Bartica, and Mahdia. (G3)