Latest update September 4th, 2026 10:24 AM
APNU scrapes 2,007 votes across all interior regions
…only two council seats within 4 regions
Kaieteur News – The A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) has suffered a significant political blow in Guyana’s interior regions, managing to secure only 2,007 votes across Regions One, Seven, Eight, and Nine during the September 1, 2025, regional elections.
Leader of the APNU Aubrey Norton
This figure comes from a total of 67,340 valid votes recorded in the hinterland regions, excluding Region 10.
Once a dominant political force in many of these areas, especially among Indigenous populations, APNU now faces a sharp decline in support. The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) has confirmed that the party was only able to win two council seats across the four regions.
In the official release of the Regional Democratic Council (RDC) election results, the gazette revealed:
- In Region 1, APNU collected just 344 votes, failing to secure a single seat. In contrast, the newly formed We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) party, led by businessman Azruddin Mohamed, gained 5,830 votes and secured six seats, while the ruling People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) secured 9,021 votes and nine seats. The Alliance For Change (AFC) earned 25 votes, and the Forward Guyana Movement received 61.
- In Region 7, APNU secured 980 votes, earning only one seat. WIN led again with 5,085 votes and eight seats, while PPP/C captured 3,508 votes and five seats. The AFC gained 414 votes, and the Assembly for Liberty and Prosperity (ALP) received 65.
- In Region 8, APNU managed 253 votes, gaining one seat. WIN took 2,558 votes and seven seats, while PPP/C secured 2,847 votes and seven seats. The AFC garnered 54 votes.
- In Region 9, APNU earned 430 votes and no seats. WIN won 4,794 votes with five seats, while PPP/C dominated with 9,853 votes and ten seats. AFC took 265 votes.
Overall, APNU not only received the lowest vote count among the major parties but was also significantly outpaced by WIN and PPP/C in every region. This result marks a drastic departure from APNU’s past performance. In the 2020 RDC elections, APNU garnered 33,597 votes in the hinterland regions and secured 26 seats in these regions.
In a previous interview, APNU’s hinterland representative, Juretha Fernandes, reflected on the party’s rejection by Indigenous communities. While she did not offer a definitive explanation for the shift, she promised that the party would continue to represent hinterland communities. “At no point in time where we do not have seats will those persons be left unrepresented. I believe as I will be going back into parliament, it is my duty to represent everyone, particularly Indigenous people that have been deprived of resources for a number of years. It is our responsibility to get on the ground in these regions regardless of having a seat or not, we have to go there and do the work,” she said.
When asked about the disappointing vote count, Fernandes responded that the reasons behind the electorate’s decisions were ultimately for the voters themselves to explain. “We could have a lot of assumptions as to why it went in a various direction, but the electorate went into a certain way and it is our job to get on the ground to speak with them and hear from them, themselves to hear what is the reason and what is that they need from us to do for them in order for us to regain the confidence and their support,” she explained.
Meanwhile, a senior APNU official speaking with this publication on Sunday offered further insights into the party’s dwindling support. According to the official, a lack of authentic Indigenous representation on the ground was a key factor. While both WIN and PPP/C showcased high-profile Indigenous candidates during their campaigns, APNU fell short. The official acknowledged that the candidate presented by APNU to represent Indigenous issues, Fernandes, did not resonate with Amerindian communities and was not well-versed in their specific concerns.
The official further pointed out that the party might have done better had they chosen a well-known and longstanding hinterland figure like PNCR member Norma Thomas or other credible Indigenous representatives. The official said because of the misrepresentation of Amerindian interests, the Indigenous people rejected Fernandes and shifted their support to WIN, noting that WIN featured strong Indigenous representatives such as Dawn Hastings-Williams and Deon LaCruz.
This electoral fallout follows APNU’s overall disappointing performance in the general elections. WIN secured 16 parliamentary seats, pushing APNU to third place. The ruling People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C), led by President Irfaan Ali, won 36 seats, securing Ali a second term in office. As Norton continues to grapple with the fallout from the party’s electoral defeat, he is also faced with the unexpected resignation of one of PNCR’s most longstanding members.
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APNU must rebuild its IMAGE since trying to rig the 2015 election placed a definite bad mark and stain on their political party; it is time for new blood in ALL of the parties because the same old politics without any substance has failed the COUNTRY. Citizens cannot feed themselves properly, while the few elites fest at the supper table on filet mignon.