WITH one day to go, all signs are that tomorrow’s presidential and parliamentary elections in Guyana – and the results – will highly likely be challenged and/or rejected by at least three opposition contenders.

The reasons differ, but the main opposition alliance, the smallest opposition party and a new party formed by a defector from the main opposition party have all strongly signalled they may not accept the results—especially if the ruling party and its alliance emerge victorious after the final ballot count.

The major and minor opposition party challengers have both been quoted by the media as indicating they will not accept the results, but the latest news reports indicate problems have arisen at the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) that could add to the increasing uncertainty that tomorrow’s poll can be problematic.

First, the Stabroek News newspaper reported yesterday that ‘Opposition-appointed Commissioners walked out of GECOM meeting’ in ‘a dispute over polling stations.’

The report stated that the August 29 GECOM meeting ‘came to an abrupt end after it lost its quorum following a walkout by the opposition-nominated commissioners in a dispute over polling stations.’

The item continued, ‘It is unclear whether the commission will be able to resolve outstanding issues before the September 1st elections.’

The newspaper also indicated it ‘has received conflicting accounts from both sides regarding the cause of the impasse.’

In a separate article in the same issue of the newspaper headlined ‘WIN failed to meet deadline for polling agents,’ SN also reported that ‘GECOM denied claims’ by the party that it has ‘refused to accept their polling agents’ for Monday’s poll, the commission describing the party’s claim as ‘misleading’ and a misrepresentation of the facts.’

In a statement, GECOM made it ‘absolutely clear’ that the Chief Election Officer had sent a reminder via email to all political parties since August 11, 2025, outlining the legal requirement as prescribed by the Representation of the People’s Act to submit the names and addresses of all polling agents to the respective Returning Officers ‘no later than the seventh day before Election Day.’

GECOM said the party failed to comply with the deadline, making their accusation (that GECOM has not fulfilled its duty) ‘inaccurate and misleading.’

It was also reported yesterday that Guyana’s Acting Chief Justice had dismissed the constitutional challenge brought by a newly formed party against GECOM over its alleged exclusion from the ballot paper in several regions for Monday’s poll.

The ruling affirmed that GECOM acted lawfully by excluding the said new party from the ballot paper for geographical constituencies where the party had not submitted a list of candidates.

The party said it will appeal the acting chief justice’s decision, but in the meantime, the judgment has awarded one million Guyana dollars in costs each to GECOM and the Attorney General’s Chambers—both sums payable by September 8 (one week after Monday’s poll).

And in yet another election-related matter, the ruling alliance has dismissed opposition claims its agents used private telephone numbers of recipients of state-funded cash grants and from a national census to contact and lobby recipients.

Added together, the major opposition alliance’s GECOM walkout on the matter of polling stations, the false claim that GECOM ‘refused’ to accept one party’s polling agents and the rejected court action by a third opposition party – against the background of earlier opposition statements about ‘not recognising’ the results — have sent shivers up the spines of Guyanese who fear the post-election period may see a departure from the peace and tranquillity that’s attended the election campaigning up to its last weekend.

The online party-hack influencers continue to compete for Netizens’ attention, with supporters and opponents of the government’s bid for a second term battling over which alliance is better and which party is worst.

The opposition continues to evade the accomplishments and promises for continuing national development outlined in the ruling alliance’s ‘Agenda 2030’ manifesto, instead concentrating almost exclusively on unproven allegations of corruption, apparently arranged ‘leaks’ of ‘interviews’ arranged with self-confessed illegal gold dealers to accuse the President (and his mother) of improper financial dealings (that were subsequently legally withdrawn), and unending allegations of gubernatorial corruption, minus evidence.

The governing alliance and the major opposition alliance are depending heavily on their traditional support bases, while the smaller parties are praying they could prey on whatever discontent they can pinpoint in last-minute bids to influence the few voters who will not have made their minds up on the final weekend before what could be the country’s most crucial vote since oil and gas were discovered in 2015.

Some in the opposition are claiming they’ll be ready to renegotiate the one-sided contract the previous government agreed to with the major player in the lucrative Stabroek Block being claimed by Venezuela, which the ruling alliance has flatly said it will ride out for the next five years, after which it’ll be time to renegotiate.

But the opposition’s clear avoidance of addressing the government’s accomplishments—even with the 14% share of earnings the last administration agreed to—is understandable, even by partisan political standards, just days before an election that can decide the future of today’s political leaders, at least until 2030.

One day before the majority of over 700,000 Guyanese head to the polls, the political temperature is heating, with the three major contending forces holding their final rallies in Georgetown and Essequibo, the smallest of the three tactically concentrating on Amerindian votes from the nation’s hinterland regions, while the two major opponents depend on their traditional bases, with the ruling alliance also trusting its delivery and achievements record over the past five years to qualify it for consideration for a second term for President Dr. Irfaan Ali.

But, as in every election, there will be no winner until the last ballot is counted – which is why every minute of the next 24 hours will be treated as a matter of political life and death for the contenting parties.