SOME thought that David Granger was done with political and State power in Guyana. After all, the former military commander suffered a humiliating defeat at the 2020 polls when he lost the Presidency of Guyana. Before that, his government fell by the first no-confidence motion successfully passed in the National Assembly in December 2018.

That aside, then suddenly came the shock-attack of the PNC leadership race. Granger would put this off out of fear surrounding COVID-19 until last year when his Executive could not wait any longer. He lost the leadership of PNC to Aubrey Norton.

Granger, being fair, went missing in action since the polls and was on leave when the party Congress was being planned and executed. He did not even contest the leadership but went off to Cuba, making him the first leader not to compete for re-election.

Others believed the writing was written on the wall, and Granger graciously bowed out quietly and quickly. Now home, Granger had rest and time to think about his future.

Granger is not finished with politics or power, it would appear. He is devising a plan at Pearl with his most trusted emissaries and confidants. The elderly Historian turned politician never indicated that he is out of the race for the Presidency. He just disappeared to reassess the political climate and handle some business.

And that’s why he would not give up his stranglehold on the PNCR/APNU+AFC Opposition Leader post and the leader of the list that declares who sits in the opposition benches in the National Assembly.

Make no mistake about it, Joseph Harmon was just a placeholder and a pond in this military game that Granger is playing. Harmon was placed as the fall guy, and to allegedly do and say all the things Granger would not say in public but meant. Harmon tightly is locked within a battle for the Opposition Leader post that inevitably leads to Presidential Candidacy in the opposition. He does not have what it takes to lead!  He will give way to the return of David Granger because he wants to be the candidate regardless in 2025. Not Norton, not Harmon but Granger!

This is why Granger chose the representatives of the opposition APNU+AFC Coalition so secretly and without much involvement of PNC. This political move explains why no senior member of the PNC was returned to the Parliament. Also, the sudden pullback of Volda Lawrence and Basil Williams from the PNC leadership contest is suspect at this point. Maybe they are in on the military plot to cause the coup d’etat of opposition in Parliament and cause an upset to Norton at the next leadership elections that are due before the general polls.

The move by Granger, additionally, to cause the APNU+AFC Coalition to remain steadfast with their appeal of the elections ruling to the results is now making sense.

This makes more sense now that Granger’s indirect actions caused the Working People Alliance Party and Justice For All party to go their separate ways and newer parties to be formed, such as the one by former Public Service Minister and parliamentarian, Tabitha Sarobo-Halley.
Granger is exercising control with his paper Coalition of the PNC, parliamentarians, and the Opposition Leader. He wants to become President again without doing the work except for strategising the assault on government while it is distracted by the opposition leadership contest.

History is replete with examples of ex-military commanders who have been strategists and rose again to claim power in countries like Guyana with similar characteristics, demographics, and now the lure of oil and gas wealth.

How else can you make sense of Granger’s posture throughout this election and post-2020? How else can you rationalise his fractured relationship with the PNC and the older men and women of the party? Why was Harmon placed to embarrass himself before all of Guyana as Opposition Leader? Something is amiss and does not seem right about the duel of the APNU+AFC Coalition and the PNC. Something about Norton’s leadership race and Geeta Chand-Edmond is not making total sense. This elections petition case is not making any sense, yet it is moving fast in the court system.

Before next week is out, we will hear from Harmon again about his resignation. But, we are still not going to hear from Granger. Why? Are his silence and secrecy a trap for the PPP to not focus their propaganda machine and the media at his direction?
His losing the Presidency and the party leader post has not phased him; Granger may be on the rebound the next time.

But the PPP is ready if Granger slides his way back to the centre of politics. The PPP is not taking any chances and is looking on curiously as the game plays out. The party is certain it has the people on its side, and this time it understands the mood of the people that is why it is delivering at lightning speed on its promises made to the electorate. Let the twists and turns begin…