FORMER President, David Granger has vowed that the APNU+AFC will challenge the results of the 2020 General and Regional Elections as declared on Sunday, as his party does not believe that this was done legally. He, however, thanked his Coalition partners and supporters for their efforts during the elections.

Subsequent to the declaration of the Elections Commission on Sunday hailing the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) as the victor, and Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali as the President, the former President released a statement on his Party’s position moving forward. He stated: “The APNU+AFC Coalition cannot endorse a flawed Report, and will continue its campaign to ensure that the votes of all Guyanese are accurately recorded, tallied and reported. The APNU+AFC Coalition will challenge the declared results lawfully, peacefully and purposefully. The Coalition asks its members, supporters and friends, who have been patient throughout our campaign and a prolonged legal process in our Courts, to continue to conduct themselves in a lawful and peaceful manner.”

In Guyana, the Court of Appeal ruled on July 30 that any challenge to the legality of the process employed by GECOM or allegations of electoral fraud or irregularities must be done in the form of an Elections Petition following the official declaration of the results of the elections. The Appellate Court had ruled on this in the Misenga Jones Case approximately three weeks after the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) had handed down a judgement in the Irfaan Ali and Bharrat Jagdeo v Eslyn David and others case.

With the elections results then not yet declared, the Court snuffed the APNU+AFC’s contention that the results should not be declared on the recount data, as the National Recount had unearthed massive irregularities and cases of voter impersonation. According to Chief Elections Officer (CEO) Keith Lowenfield, there were well over 2,000 irregularities that were unearthed during the recount, from missing List of Electors to missing Oaths of Identity, and Certificates of Employment. Additionally, there were over 4,000 cases of voter impersonation, as a result of persons voting on behalf of the dead and Guyanese residing overseas. With the results now declared, the new Opposition party can now freely contest it by way of Election petition though the Court, and has all intention of doing so.
“I have stated repeatedly, from the start of the electoral process, that the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change Coalition would respect the lawful ‘declaration’ of the Elections Commission. I have never altered this position, and I do now acknowledge the ‘declaration.’ The APNU+AFC Coalition respects the lawful consequences of the ‘declaration’ as announced by the Chairman of the Elections Commission. I maintain that the Report ordered by the Court and presented to the Commission contains significant anomalies and irregularities,” Granger said.

Even so, the former President thanked all Guyanese for their participation in the elections and members of the Alliance For Change, Guyana Action Party, Justice For All Party, National Front Alliance, People’s National Congress Reform and Working People’s Alliance and all others for their support of the APNU+AFC Coalition.