President Ali denies Jagdeo blackmailed Mohammed out of political race

Apr 09, 2025 News

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Kaieteur News – President Irfaan Ali has denied claims by sanctioned businessman Azruddin Mohamed that Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo and Attorney General Anil Nandlall attempted to blackmail him into abandoning any political aspirations he may have for the 2025 General and Regional Elections.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the Local Content Summit held at the Marriott Hotel on Tuesday, President Ali dismissed the claims.

“Absolute nonsense. He can say anything,” the President chided.

The President referenced the sanctions against the father and son duo by the United States Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) in June 2024, and their businesses over allegations of tax evasion, corruption, and gold smuggling. Former Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Labour Mae Thomas was also sanctioned for misusing her position to grant government contracts and other benefits to the businessmen.

“He said that he didn’t evade taxes, the US sanctioned him for that. Let’s be fair. This he said, she said… the US has sanctioned him, the US said he has evaded tax, what do you believe?

Pressed on whether there was any truth to the claim of blackmail, President Ali responded, “Never. We would never involve in blackmail, blackmail for what? For what?”

He said the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) has done its work and delivered on its promises, so it is confident of being re-elected at the upcoming elections.

“We are going to win this election because we have worked, we have delivered, and people love what we’re doing. We are going to win this election because we stayed true to the trust that the people placed in us when we went to poll. We are going to win this election because we have fulfilled our manifesto, we are going to win this election, the people have trusted us and we have delivered,” he said.

President Ali continued, “We are not going to win this election because we are lazy or because we are undemocratic, we are not going to win this election because we tried to steal the elections, we are going to win this election because we did what was right. We worked hard, we were relentless.”

Further, Ali acknowledged the political atmosphere but made it clear that his focus remains on governance.

“I’m aware of all the nasty plots. I’m aware of all the sinful plots that are around but that doesn’t bother me. I am not going to focus on all this noise. My focus is on the people of this country,” he said.

Last Saturday, the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) and the Guyana Police Force (GPF) attempted to seize the businessman’s luxury vehicles. That plan was halted after supporters of Team Mohameds surrounded his premises in protest. Subsequently, a High Court judgment granted a temporary injunction, preventing GRA from seizing the vehicles.

It was during that time that Azzuradin Mohamed alleged that both Jagdeo and Nandlall had contacted him and warned him to renounce any political ambitions or face repercussions, including the seizure of his vehicles.

For his part, Mohammed said the matter was politically driven, tied to fears he may run for office at the upcoming elections. “They said they come to seize the vehicles, so I don’t know all of a sudden you come to seize the vehicles. They should have seized the first day they arrived in the country.”

He had stated that he would be making public statements in the near future to show that government officials were aware of the vehicles even before they were imported.

“But before I released the post on Facebook, what Bharrat is talking about… that’s a lie. The reason I released that post is because a month prior to that, Jagdeo and Nandlall told me that they are coming to seize the vehicles if I don’t release a statement that I’m not running for office. So, this is political.”

According to Mohamed, “We already moved to the court, that’s why I want to know how GRA arrive here this morning, cause the matter is being addressed very shortly through the legal system. We already sent all the emails to GRA showing them that we have moved to the court, so I don’t know if they want to bully me now for the vehicles.”

He insisted that he has evidence proving the vehicles were legally approved. “We are not giving up the vehicles because the vehicles were approved, everything went through the legal process at GRA. So, why seize the vehicles now, 4 years after?”

 

 

 

 

 

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• Azruddin Mohamed, Bharrat Jagdeo, GRA, Irfaan Ali, PPP, vehicles

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