SOCU will charge every strong PPP Presidential Candidate- Jagdeo predicts

Jul 06, 2018 News

Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo

Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, is convinced that the Special Organized Crime Unit (SOCU) of the Guyana Police Force—under instructions from the government—will seek to charge every politician it views as having a good chance becoming People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) Presidential Candidate.
Jagdeo said that SOCU is given instructions in relation to who are the chosen ones to be charged from the PPP/C.
Jagdeo said this during his weekly Press Conference held at his Church Street, Queenstown Office.
There, Jagdeo sought to “assure” the media that the “government will try to charge every single person that they see as a potential front runner for the PPP presidential candidate. In fact, that was discussed and it is already in train. People have received their instructions and I will not be surprised if we see it being rolled out shortly.”
The Constitution states that one who is convicted of a felony cannot become President of Guyana. Therefore, any PPP/C official who is convicted will automatically be barred from even being elected as PPP’s Presidential Candidate.
Jagdeo was asked if he was worried about Nandlall’s theory that SOCU is aiming at him (Jagdeo).
Nandlall wrote that the SOCU façade in charging former Finance Minister Ashni Singh and arresting former Finance Minister Sasenarine Kowlessar is all to get at Jagdeo. Nandlall’s conclusion was that because SOCU cannot get to Jagdeo for anything, he did as President because of the immunity he enjoyed, SOCU will seek to pin him for things he did as Finance Minister.
Jagdeo said, “It’s not just about me. It is about all the serious aspirants that they believe could pose a threat to them and therefore they will want to deplete the leadership of the PPP. They will not succeed.”
Jagdeo also asserted that SOCU, under its instructions, “does not have to find much to charge people in a fanciful capricious manner. Just imagine after hearing about the tens of billions of dollars that were misappropriated by the PPP, look at the nature of the charges of our MPs so far. Look at them and you would see how frivolous they are.”
He continued, “So if they go back to 1995 when I was Minister of Finance and charge me, it’s no problem. Cheddi Jagan was the president at that time. I do not have any issue.
“We will fight all those cases and they will be thrown out. They have absolutely no case. But the point is not winning cases, [it] is damaging reputations.”
Jagdeo said that that the PPP will soon pick its Presidential Candidate.
He said that he urged the Executive Committee to set a timeline “to address the matter expeditiously.”

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