PPP presidential candidate to be named before end of month – Jagdeo

Bharrat Jagdeo
Bharrat Jagdeo

The presidential candidate for the People’s Progressive Party to contest the upcoming general elections will be named before the month ends and not by the end of this week 

Leader of the Opposition Bharrat Jagdeo told Stabroek News that according to the timeline “around the third week in January” the Central Committee of the party should vote for the candidate.

Asked if it was true that the party was focusing on the no confidence motion against the government which it brought to the National Assembly and which was approved and not on selecting a presidential candidate given government’s refusal to step down and allow a caretaker government to run the affairs of the state, Jagdeo said, “That is not true. Both are being addressed simultaneously.”

He said that party members of good standing are eligible to vie for the position.

Among those who have indicated their candidacy publicly are former PPP/C government ministers Anil Nandlall, Irfaan Ali, Gail Teixeira and Dr Frank Anthony. Both Nandlall and Ali have said that if they become the presidential candidate and eventually elected president, Jagdeo will play an important role in their government.

Attorney at law Charles Ramson Jnr has also indicated his desire to contest as well.