In one of his last official acts before demitting office, President David Granger yesterday recognised the declaration by the Chair of GECOM, Justice (ret’d) Claudette Singh of the recount results which showed a victory for the opposition PPP/C at the March 2nd polls and he also signalled that an election petition was in the offing.
For months, Granger’s government had contended that the recount results did not provide an adequate basis for the declaration despite not producing evidence to substantiate this.
The months of defiance ended yesterday when the GECOM Chair finally declared the result bringing an end to the five-month contestation.
Using single quotation marks on the word declaration to likely symbolise that while he respected the declaration he had reservations about it, Granger said: “Guyanese, I have seen the ‘declaration’ issued by the Chairman of the Elections Commission, Justice (Ret’d) Claudette Singh, SC, CCH, in accordance with the Constitution of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana (at Article 177 (2)), on 2nd August 2020.
“I have stated, repeatedly, from the start of the electoral process, that the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) Coalition would respect the lawful ‘declaration’ of the Elections Commission. I have never altered this position and I do now acknowledge the ‘declaration.’
“The APNU+AFC Coalition respects the lawful consequences of the ‘declaration’ as announced by the Chairman of the Elections Commission. I maintain that the Report ordered by the Court and presented to the Commission contains significant anomalies and irregularities.
“The APNU+AFC Coalition cannot endorse a flawed Report and will continue its campaign to ensure that the votes of all Guyanese are accurately recorded, tallied and reported.
“The APNU+AFC Coalition will challenge the declared results lawfully, peacefully and purposefully. The Coalition asks its members, supporters and friends – who have been patient throughout our campaign and a prolonged legal process in our Courts – to continue to conduct themselves in a lawful and peaceful manner.
“I express my appreciation to all Guyanese who have participated in the General and Regional Elections 2020. I thank every member of the Alliance For Change, Guyana Action Party, Justice For All Party, National Front Alliance, People’s National Congress Reform and Working People’s Alliance and everyone else who supported the APNU+AFC Coalition. They brought passion and patriotism to bear on the conduct of this important democratic exercise. May God bless the people of Guyana”.
Earlier in the day, Granger had stated that GECOM had to proceed with the declaration of results. He made this statement in a Ministry of the Presidency (MoTP) release following a call from Singh for him to have a conversation with PPP General Secretary Bharrat Jagdeo on “the way forward”. Singh had taken the initiative after the government-appointed members of GECOM had made this suggestion at a meeting of the commission yesterday morning.
The MoTP release said that Granger explained to Singh that he had no objection to speaking with Jagdeo but as far as a proposed declaration is concerned, “he recognised that the Commission has a legal obligation as a result of the recent ruling of the Court of Appeal, to proceed with a declaration.
“President Granger said that notwithstanding that declaration, the APNU+ AFC coalition maintains that the anomalies and irregularities which have been uncovered during the recount process cannot be accepted and will form the grounds for an election petition”.
