– Says PPP/C Nomination Day turnout signals ‘historic movement’ for national unity, transformation
POLITICAL commentator Leonard Craig has declared the People’s Progressive Party/Civic’s (PPP/C) Nomination Day procession as “a historic movement,” one that, in his view, signals the beginning of a new era of national transformation and multi-ethnic unity in Guyana’s political landscape.
The massive display of support, held on Monday, July 14, as the PPP/C submitted its list of candidates to the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), drew thousands of supporters to the streets of Georgetown for a second consecutive day following the party’s formal campaign launch.
Craig, who walked alongside the jubilant crowd on both days, described the experience as unlike anything he had witnessed in Guyanese politics, which described it as “the largest party election launch in recent memory.”
Most striking, he said, was the diversity of the attendees, adding that, “For the first time in my life, I’ve experienced such a huge movement of people gathered in Guyana for a political rally where it was practically unable to decipher which was the dominant racial group in attendance. This fact must be celebrated.”
Craig added that this rare display of multi-ethnic unity is a testament to the leadership of President Dr Irfaan Ali, who he says has “imbued this nation with hope that transcends racialised stereotypes.”

He lauded the policy platform outlined by Dr Ali, noting that it went beyond physical infrastructure to include “a world-class education system, economic diversification, greater investment in youth, support for families, and building sustainable communities.”
These, Craig stated, reflect a forward-thinking agenda that deserves a renewed mandate.
He added that on Nomination Day, he was stunned to see “a sea of red just as massive, jubilant, and excited as the day before.”
“It is an impetus for national unity at levels never before experienced in Guyana. It gives us hope that Guyana is poised to progress in a manner that would harness the energies, dreams, and aspirations of all of our people in an equitable manner,” he said.
Craig did not shy away from critiquing the opposition parties, contrasting their presentations with what he described as the energy and substance of the PPP/C.
Observing the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) procession, he remarked, “There was nothing inspiring and arguably the most undiversified group on Nomination Day.”
He dismissed the Alliance for Change (AFC) as a “spent force” and labelled other smaller parties as “low on morale and unimpressive in their outlook.”
He was particularly scathing in his remarks about the movement led by the candidate who is facing U.S. visa revocation and economic sanctions.
Political party We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) leader, Azruddin Mohamed, is currently under U.S. sanctions for massive gold-smuggling and bribery schemes.
At the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts, Mohamed is facing charges for tax evasion and making a false declaration to the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA).
“The candidate facing the US visa and economic sanctions came in on a wave of blue, constituting mainly of paid gyrators some having to resort to fist fighting to cash in on their procession fee,” Craig alleged.
He went further, questioning the credibility of WIN’s campaign, adding, “This day also confirmed for me that this blue man camp has no real interest in national development. They were even unable to articulate concepts of a plan. Instead, all we got were two words muttered in frail, frightened tones, ‘very soon.’”
He also criticised the candidate’s response to media scrutiny.
“The sanction man then had the gall to accuse the media of bias, of asking him too many hard questions that they didn’t ask the other parties,” Craig said while clarifying that the questions focused simply on the party’s proposed policies and national priorities.
Craig made his support for Ali’s re-election clear: “Ladies and gentlemen, among the swirl of political noise, the choice is clear: a second term for Dr. Irfaan Ali. A second term represents prosperity, good governance, and a unified Guyana.”