The Alliance For Change (AFC) yesterday congratulated President Irfaan Ali on his election while maintaining that there were “countless” irregularities at the March 2nd election and this would be pursued via a petition.
In a statement yesterday, the AFC, a key part of the former governing coalition, APNU+AFC, said that the peaceful transition of Government that has occurred “confirms our people and the nation’s commitment to the Constitution and the processes and institutions of democracy”.
The AFC said it was “extremely disappointed” with the outcome of the elections process, especially as “countless discrepancies and irregularities were not taken into account by GECOM at the time of making its declarations”.
The AFC’s concerns about irregularities have not been substantiated by any of the major observer groups which oversaw the elections.
Noting that the declaration of the result came five months after the elections, the AFC said the issues had been resolved “through the assistance of the honoured institution of the Judiciary. This is a demonstration that civility and democracy is alive and well. We must build on and reinforce this foundation”.
The AFC said that it believes, like its partner, APNU and former President David Granger, that the “fraud and numerous irregularities and anomalies uncovered during the Recount exercise demonstrated that there was a credibility deficit in the March 2020 Elections which will be pursued vigorously in an Election Petition”.
It added that the party and its coalition partners expect that the Election Petition will be “expedited with the same alacrity as similar litigation which followed the Elections”.
It pledged to work with all its partners to continue the fight for vitally needed constitutional and electoral reforms and to “prevent the return of the days of executive lawlessness which the APNU+AFC Government cleaned up upon taking office in 2015.
We will not tolerate discrimination, marginalisation, disrespect, and high crimes which were the hallmarks of the previous PPP administration”.
In a reference to oil revenues, the AFC pledged “to fight for all Guyanese to share equally the new found prosperity which our nation has (begun) to experience”.
It further said that it will “stay true to its founding principles of healing and reconciliation, the ending of race based politics, equality, freedom, non-discrimination and the well-being of every Guyanese”.
