The People’s Progressive Party (PPP) yesterday flayed a court bid to reverse presidential term limits and declared that former President Bharrat Jagdeo has long said that he is not interested in a third term.
Earlier this week, Cedrick Richardson, who initiated the challenge, claimed in his supporting affidavit that he has been advised by his attorney that Jagdeo is not legally prohibited from being a candidate for presidential elections by Act No. 17 of 2001, which added two clauses to the 1980 constitution to allow for re-election only once.
This court action comes just three months before Guyanese are expected to head to the polls, raising questions about its timing and the motives of Richardson, who identifies himself in court documents as a 50-year-old West Ruimveldt resident. He was listed as a driver at the time of the last elections.
Stabroek News was unable to make contact with Richardson but understands that he is within the employ of the lawyers who filed the High Court writ on Monday, attorneys Shaun Allicock, Oneidge Walrond-Allicock, Emily Dodson and Coleen Sparman.
Yesterday, the ruling PPP savaged the court move. Noting that elections were imminent, the PPP said “Clearly, this new development is an attempt to throw a spanner in the works. The sponsors of the legal challenge appear to have a hidden agenda in the real sense of the term other than invoking or blocking the boogie of a “third term” for Bharrat Jagdeo.
“The interest of those behind the challenge lies in the darkest and deepest crevices of a democracy comparable to the galleries of Hades.”
The Party added that Jagdeo had publicly affirmed time and again his respect for the Constitution and that he has no interest whatsoever in any so called “third term” Presidency.
“It is now become obvious that Mr. Jagdeo’s assertions fell on deaf ears and that his expression of disinterest in returning to the Presidency notwithstanding, the modern-day Quislings working in close collaboration with the local satraps continue to generate and peddle this absolute nonsense, elevating it to useless legalistic twaddle”, the party said.
It added that while Jagdeo remains a highly popular figure within and beyond the membership and supporters of the PPP, this popularity is in no way intended to be translated into a “third term” candidature.
“The PPP is aware of the fact that while many of its members and supporters hold the former President in high esteem and would have liked to see his return to the Presidency, they are very much aware that there are wolves in sheep’s clothing in our society who seek to sow discord and to engage in deceitful and artful fandangle aimed at misleading and confusing PPP supporters”, the statement said.
The PPP said it has confronted many subterfuges in and out of elections season.
“We fought off and overcame all of them. This new subterfuge will be fought off too and consigned to the dustbin of history”, the statement said.
