Joseph Harmon has resigned as Leader of the Opposition.
The move today came after he had come under swingeing pressure to demit office and to make way for the new PNCR Leader Aubrey Norton.
Harmon had been defeated last December in the contest for Leader of the PNCR but despite this he had clung to the post of Opposition Leader. The PNCR – the major component of APNU – had met and said that Norton should become the new Leader of the Opposition.
Norton is still not a Parliamentarian and that will depend on the Representative of the APNU+AFC List, David Granger. He can determine who is present in Parliament though political observers say his role is mainly ceremonial and it is the leadership of APNU+AFC who should make that decision.
Yesterday, Norton was elected Chair of APNU after Granger stood down. Harmon also resigned as APNU General Secretary but was asked to stay on for a week.
Sources say that Harmon will at today’s sitting of the National Assembly submit his resignation to Speaker of the National Assembly, Manzoor Nadir. He will remain a Member of Parliament.
Harmon had been Granger’s key aide during the APNU+AFC administration of 2015-2020 and held key posts including Minister in the Ministry of the Presidency.
When APNU+AFC lost the 2020 elections after a five-month delay that saw attempts to rig the results in its favour, Granger paved the way for Harmon to be elected as Leader of the Opposition.
