PPP General Secretary Bharrat Jagdeo Thursday afternoon took a swipe at Charles Ramson Jr. who wants to be the party’s next presidential candidate.
Ramson announced his presidential bid to members of the media yesterday, saying that he represents youthfulness, freshness and credibility.
But Jagdeo told reporters at a press conference that the young presidential hopeful strayed from the longstanding PPP tradition of an internal process in electing their front-runner candidate.
“We have a way of approaching these matters. This is a departure from that approach that we have always used in the past,” Jagdeo contended.
He explained that the presidential candidate is elected through a secret ballot process among the 35-member Central Committee. It is an internal process and it has been for years. The nominations of potential candidates are normally discussed behind closed doors.
Referring to Ramson’s public announcement, Jagdeo urged that all PPP presidential hopefuls be modest. Using an example, he urged them not be like then PPP presidential hopeful Moses Nagamootoo.
“One thing we’ve frowned upon though is lack of modesty among people who are presidential hopefuls…I see some people saying they have nominations, once they are nominated, they will be considered but to be modest in the process but we don’t want to be the Nagamootoo-type egos to govern how we approach this matter,” Jagdeo stated.
Jagdeo, a president of 12 years, declined to comment on the suitability of Ramson as the PPP’s presidential candidate.
However, he contended that all the members of the Central Committee would make better presidents than Head of State David Granger.
Jagdeo is also hopeful that Ramson supports the presidential candidate of the PPP, if he, Ramson, is not elected.
“I am sure he recognises that if he doesn’t secure what he thinks he is eligible for he will support the candidate who emerges out of that process,” Jagdeo expressed, noting that if Ramson decides to “jump ship” afterwards, he will be leaving a prosperous ship for a sinking one.
“I don’t think he’d be so stupid,” Jagdeo expressed.
Jagdeo said the Central Committee will meet shortly to determine when to start the internal process of electing a presidential candidate.
In the meantime, Jagdeo said he will remain General Secretary and will ensure the PPP does all the necessary groundwork to secure a landslide victory at the next general elections.
