ON Thursday, Aubrey Norton appeared to be perplexed, low-key angry, and vexed while facing blistering questions from the media corps about the upcoming PNC/R’s 22nd biennial congress, and the race for the top party post.

Norton, in trying hard to come across as confident about victory, made all manner of accusations against fellow PNC/R members and persons who were seemingly opposed to him being the party’s leader again and, or its presidential candidate for the upcoming general elections.

He also accused the former PNC General Secretary, Amna Ally of campaigning hard against him and supporting others in the party, seemingly causing rifts and forming divisions that could potentially hurt the party in the elections.
Norton, whose back is up against the wall, then lashed out at the “moles” in the party which was allegedly doing the PPP’s bidding to cause confusion and mayhem among party members and supporters.

Norton appeared to be stone-faced when fellow PNC Executive Ganesh Mahipaul was asked by the media about joining the race for the party leader position. Mahipaul, apart from looking uncomfortable and constipated, told the public and media nothing. He just danced around the subject, but he failed to state explicitly if Norton would be getting his support at the congress.

Before Norton’s press conference, another party Executive Roysdale Forde stated publicly that he was going to run against Norton for the PNC position. Forde said he believed that there was a need for the party to “regroup, refocus and rebuild.”
Also, Norton used his power to postpone the congress from December last to August this year, buying himself time to campaign internally.

But what Norton did not know is that by delaying the congress, he would cause himself more problems that were detrimental for him, and the campaign. It caused him to become more unpopular.
But this entire ordeal was predicted right here in this column. The only thing left to see is how well Norton is going to perform. Let’s do a brief analysis of the party’s internal politics.

Firstly, Norton should not be so surprised that other party members would rise to challenge him for leadership. He has not performed. He also has no right to claim the work of others among the PNC grassroots bases as his own because he neither sponsored nor participated in the works internally, save and except for giving a few speeches here and there.

Norton did not accomplish anything that he set out to do when he was elected party leader back in 2021. The unity has become more elusive now than when Norton took over in 2020. The factionalism is at an all-time high under Norton’s leadership of the party. This is not the biggest problem that the PNCR is facing as the party has had to maneuver its way through various corruption and personal scandals that were unheard or kept under control.

So, the level of trust has eroded in Norton’s leadership especially when it comes to his personality which does not mesh with many old heads in the party.
Secondly, Norton stands alone, with none of the party’s bigwigs supporting him – not Volda Lawrence, David Granger, or Amna Ally. They believe Norton’s approach is the wrong way to fight and wrestle with the PPP/C.

The way of handling the issues with Jermaine Figueira, and party officials in Berbice, Linden and hinterland regions has left a bad taste in the party’s mouth. This is why there were so many to bring down Norton as his power and grip were getting uncontrollable.

Geeta Edmond, Faaiz Mursalene, Christopher Jones, Amanza Walton-Desir, and several others have all been silenced in some way or the other during the past three years. The GYSM and Women’s arm of the party are shadows of itself. The PNCR under Norton is not gracefully maturing into a party where multiculturalism and multiracial force are celebrated.

Thirdly, Forde and Mahipaul do not express confidence in the party leader because there is none. He does not know how to lead an organisation as complex and big with multiple layers of personality constructs and difficulty. They, like many in the party, have read the writing on the wall that they cannot win the people with Norton.

So, they must dare all and take back the party, bringing normalcy to the operations in politics internally and externally with the PPP/C party. The struggle for them is not in strategy but in seizing the right time and place to differ or have political disagreements with the PPP/C in and out of office.

Fourthly, finding a consensus candidate will boil down to character, political rhetoric and the mood of the PNC delegates. If it’s just the first, neither will win as they both have skeletons in the closet and the PPP/C has the keys. Norton has the rhetoric and he will win that one but will not manage to muster the same showing of support as he did in 2020. Forde and others are working throughout Guyana to rescue the party from Norton.

So, they are standing between a man and his dream of being a candidate in the next election. That is what all of this is about and has nothing to do with party democracy. It’s more about power and control freakism as one of the politicians likes to say.
Finally, all the opposition players are not throwing in their hats to battle Norton for the key leadership position.

It’s still early days and three deadly and dominant threats are still lying right under Norton’s nose.
Norton knows that he can ill afford to have Granger, Lawrence and Joseph Harmon enter the race. Alas, Norton fired the first shot on Thursday at his competitors and a response is coming that is going to be explosive.
In the end, this is proving more lively, interesting and thrilling than the PPP/C congress. It may be necessary to stay tuned for more details.