Latest update May 14th, 2026 12:35 AM
Latest News
Former APNU MPs, sitting councillors cross over to PPP
By Khadidja Ba
(Kaieteur News) – A group of former A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Members of Parliament and current Regional Councillors have officially aligned themselves with the governing People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C). The move was solidified during a meeting on Tuesday, May 12, 2026, between the defectors and PPP General Secretary Bharrat Jagdeo.
According to a press statement released by the PPP, the meeting was held at the request of the opposition members.
The group includes former MPs Ricky Ramsaroop, Shurwayne Holder, and Dinesh Jaiprashad, as well as current Regional Councillors Ravoldo Birbal, Sheik Yaseen, Prince Holder, and Gangadai Lloyd.
The crossover comes less than a year after several members of the group launched blistering attacks against the PPP/C administration during the 2025 election campaign.
Ricky Ramsaroop, who once labeled the PPP the “most corrupt government in the Caribbean,” told this newspaper yesterday that his previous stint with APNU was merely a partnership following his expulsion from the Alliance For Change (AFC). “There was no written agreement… that period is over,” Ramsaroop stated. He praised President Irfaan Ali’s vision, adding, “When I look at the other political parties, there’s nothing there to offer. There’s only criticism… they have more self-interest.”
(From left to right) Former APNU Member of Parliament Rickly Ramsaroop, current Regional Councillor Sheik Yaseen and Ravoldo Birbal, VP Bharrat Jagdeo, Shurwayne Holder along with Prince Holder, Gangadai Lloyd and Dinesh Jaiprashad
Similarly, Ravoldo Birbal, who stood at the Square of the Revolution in July 2025 to endorse Aubrey Norton and decry “victimization” and “fear” under the PPP, posted on Facebook yesterday that “the work starts now” with his new party.
During the meeting, the group reportedly praised the PPP’s “inclusive approach to governance” and technical expertise in managing Guyana’s economic transformation. Jagdeo welcomed the group, reaffirming that the PPP is a “party of inclusion” focused on national cohesion.
However, the leadership of the APNU and the People’s National Congress (PNC) offered a different post-mortem of the defection.
Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton told KN it was “obvious” the members were leaving, suggesting the move was fueled by resentment. “A lot of them were dissatisfied they didn’t become MPs,” Norton remarked.
APNU General Secretary Sherwin Benjamin echoed these sentiments, describing the move as a matter of “personal aggrandizement” rather than conviction. “The harsh reality is we got 12 seats and you had 100 and something candidates,” Benjamin said, addressing the fallout from seat allocations. “You can’t cuss out the PPP, claiming it is the most autocratic government… and after an election, you ain’t got a particular seat, you cross over. It is really paradoxical.” Benjamin further alleged that some members were coerced into joining the governing party to secure their livelihoods. He claimed that in the case of Dinesh Jaiprashad, “his job was threatened, and therefore a man had to make a decision to feed a family.”
“The culture the PPP has brought is that people are beaten, and then they have to join… to get crumbs, to get contracts,” Benjamin alleged. Despite the departures, Benjamin maintained that the APNU executive remains “full” and “resolute,” stating that the party would regroup and allow “time to heal wounds.”
Undistracted
Meanwhile, in a statement APNU said it notes the recent decision to cross over to the PPPC by “certain former candidates and members associated with the APNU.”
“Every individual in a democracy has the right to choose their political path, and we see it as their right,”the statement read.
“Anyone who was paying attention will not be surprised by the individuals who chose to switch party allegiance, since they telegraphed it by their statements and actions.
The next act they must take is to resign from the Councils, since they occupy those seats because of votes from APNU supporters.Anything else is an explicit declaration of the self-serving nature of their current pursuit,” the statement added.
The APNU said it is “resolute in its defense of the Guyanese people. We will continue to fight for the interests of the people of this nation, undistracted by their departure because they were not selected to go to Parliament. We wish them the best. Our struggle has never been about positions. It has always been about people, principle, and country.”
Share this:
Discover more from Kaieteur News
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Similar Articles
THE BLUNT OF THE DAY
Sports
Features/Columnists
Sir. Ronald Sanders
The GHK Lall Column
Weekend Cartoon
