‘If you’re so popular, call elections’ – Jagdeo on poll favouring Granger

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo has poured cold water on a poll which put President Granger way ahead of the PPP Presidential Candidate Irfaan Ali, saying the poll was paid for by APNU.

The state-owned Guyana Chronicle reported on the poll, saying it was conducted in February 2019 by the Caribbean Development Research Services (CADRES) and shows that 40 per cent of persons support President Granger while only 24 per cent supported Ali to manage Guyana’s oil wealth.

“When you have those sorts of approval ratings, you just call elections,” Jagdeo said at a press conference Thursday.

He claimed that the poll was paid for by APNU, the five-party bloc that formed a Coalition with the AFC to contest and win the last general elections.

“If you believe that you’re so popular, then call elections,” Jagdeo added. The poll showed that the President has a 92% approval rating from APNU supporters.

President Granger has signalled his intention to seek re-election at the next general elections. A decision by the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) next Tuesday could determine if the country will hold elections next year or earlier.

According to the Guyana Chronicle’s report on the poll, President Granger also won over the majority vote of uncertain voters with 40 per cent voting “yes” to his leadership, while 34 per cent voted “no” and 26 per cent were “unsure/won’t say.”

According to the document: “This section is extensive especially as it appears to be critical for the APNU+AFC and as such, the issue of leadership is analysed from several different perspectives… and it should be noted that, in this regard, respondents would say ‘yes’ or ‘no’ regardless of their political persuasion since it is possible for a person to approve of President Granger’s leadership and still support the PPP/Civic.”