APNU’s elections loss 2025

Sep 30, 2025 Letters

Dear Editor,

I am amazed that a number of senior members of the PNC/APNU have been appearing on TV programmes in Guyana and expressing shock at the poor results of their party at the recently concluded national and regional elections. It seems that these individuals were totally disconnected from their supporters countrywide.

In a letter to the press in Guyana two weeks prior to the date of the elections, but never published, I wrote:

“Historically, the vast majority of the Afro-Guyanese and the Indo-Guyanese segments of the Guyanese electorate have voted along racial lines with Afro-Guyanese voting for the PNC/APNU and Indo-Guyanese voting for the PPP. In 2015, some disenchanted PPP voters abandoned the PPP and voted for the PNC/APNU+AFC coalition, enabling it to win the national election with a one seat majority and form the government. However, in 2020, after concluding that the coalition did not meet their expectations, they returned to the PPP, giving this party a one seat majority and enabling it to form the government.

Over the past several months, dissension within the ranks of the PNC/APNU has seen the departure of a number of its parliamentarians and high-profile members. Some have embraced the PPP, others have joined the newly formed WIN party headed by billionaire and political novice, Mr. Azruddin Mohamed, while another two, prominent parliamentarians Ms. Simona Broomes and Ms. Amanza Walton-Desir, are each heading a new minor party in the upcoming elections.

With the 2025 elections due in two weeks, the PPP and the WIN party are attracting a large number of Afro-Guyanese to their campaign rallies. If this is a reflection of how this segment of the electorate will vote, one can expect a poor showing by the PNC/APNU+WPA partnership, especially as the parties of Ms. Broomes and Ms. Walton-Desir together with the AFC, the former coalition partner of the PNC/APNU 2015-2020, are also likely to siphon off some of the Afro-Guyanese votes.

The current PNC/APNU+WPA partnership cannot count on the support of Indo-Guyanese cross-over votes to compensate. Apart from their loss of trust resulting from the five months post 2020 elections fiasco, PNC/APNU leaders have not defended Indo-Guyanese from racist attacks by leading members of its now junior partner. Also, the bypassing of Indo-Guyanese Mr. Ganesh Mahipaul, a staunch, loyal and effective PNC/APNU parliamentarian, and appointing an AFC import as its Prime Ministerial candidate will likely deter any significant number of PPP cross-over voters from voting for this partnership…”

We now know the results of the elections. At the national level, not only was the PNC/APNU not in contention for the Presidency or Official Opposition, but has also not gained control of any of the ten Regions, including two of its traditional strongholds. In parliament, the PPP with 36 seats now has an overwhelming majority of 7; the newcomer WIN with 16 seats, gained mainly at the expense of the PNC/APNU, is the Official Opposition; the PNC/APNU with 12 seats is now relegated to third party status; and the FGM taking the remaining one seat.

Dr. Terrence Campbell, a successful businessman but newcomer to party politics, will lead the PNC/APNU team in parliament. In a recent TV interview, he indicated he will be working with party leader Mr. Aubrey Norton to restore the party to its past glory. It will be interesting to observe how he navigates the minefield of the party’s internal factionalism and at the same time getting all his Members of Parliament to sing from the same songbook to promote national unity. His is likely to be a daunting task. However, one hopes his sojourn into politics will be successful.

Harry Hergash

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