The Alliance for Change (AFC) on Thursday maintained that it played no role in the selection of the chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), Justice (ret’d) James Patterson and has condemned statements by Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo on the subject.

“The Alliance For Change notes the cheap political mischief being peddled by Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo and his surrogates with regard to the party’s involvement in the appointment of the GECOM Chairman. The party reiterates that it played no part in the selection process,” the party said in a statement.

According to the AFC, its leader Raphael Trotman was invited to an “urgent” meeting at State House on the evening of October 19, when he met President David Granger. It was that same evening that the President appointed and swore Justice Patterson in as GECOM’s chair.

In fact, the AFC stated that it was at that meeting President Granger informed Trotman of his decision with regard to the appointment of Justice Patterson as GECOM Chairman. Immediately after his meeting with the President, Trotman left State House, the missive stated. After his meeting with the President, Trotman informed the party’s executive via email of the President’s decision. In an excerpt from the email, Trotman said upon his arrival at State House, he was shown a letter by the President which was addressed to Jagdeo.

He told the party’s executive that the President’s letter in effect said he rejected the third list of nominees and considered the ruling of the Chief Justice and that it was his opinion that he (Granger) is constitutionally empowered to name a person to chair GECOM.

“Mr. Jagdeo and team (Anil Nandlall and Irfan Ally) came at 6 pm for the meeting and were informed of the above and then handed letters to this effect. Mr. Jagdeo challenged the President’s rejection of the list and his right to unilaterally name a person. His basis was that it is unconstitutional in addition to being an act of bad faith. He (Jagdeo) also stated that he will not recognise Justice Patterson as being impartial and will challenge the appointment,” Trotman said in his missive to the Party’s executive.

Meanwhile, the AFC made it clear that it had no involvement in the selection process and noted the Opposition Leader’s stance of non-cooperation, but supported the President’s decision. “Mr. Jagdeo appears to be deeply disturbed by the party’s condemnation of his reckless and unpatriotic threats of non-cooperation and civil disobedience and that the party’s publicly stated position is that it would have held him accountable for the consequences of any civil unrest which might have ensued from such a reckless stance.”

The Party has described the threats of non-cooperation by the Opposition Leader as “nothing but empty bluster” after being rejected by the people of Guyana, including his own supporters.

The AFC said too that its strong public condemnation of Jagdeo has alerted the nation to his “sinister” motives.

“Mr. Jagdeo appears to now be on an intensified campaign of vendetta and revenge against the AFC as a result of the party’s thwarting of his plans for civil disobedience and unrest. The AFC reiterates that it will hold GECOM to the highest standards of electoral integrity and will stridently challenge any threats to the preservation of our democracy,” the party declared.

Last month, the AFC, a main partner in the coalition government, gave its full support for the President’s decision to move ahead with the appointment of a Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission. The party had said too, “it is regrettable that after three protracted rounds of consultations and submissions, each of the three lists fell short of the requirements of the constitution.”

The Constitution mandates the Leader of the Opposition to provide a list of six names that are not unacceptable for the President. The Constitution also allows the President to choose someone for the post, if he determines that the nominees provided to him are unacceptable. The AFC said it recognises the need for the President not to further delay the appointment of a Chairman.

“The appointment in the President’s own deliberate judgment has averted a looming constitutional crisis,” said the AFC.