APNU+AFC continues to reject recount data already sanctioned as usable, valid by Courts, Int’l Community

Guyana’s national vote recount of the still undeclared March 02, 2020 election which has received the support of the international community and sanctioned as usable by several local and regional courts continues to be rejected by the unrelenting incumbent APNU+AFC.

The David Granger led Coalition on Wednesday continued to discard the recount figures which show the main opposition People’s Progressive Party winning by over 15,000 votes.

With the declaration of the election delayed by almost five months due to a series of court proceedings, lending to an unstable political environment in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, the coalition threw its support behind a fresh appeal filed by one of its agents, Misenga Jones.

“Such an appeal is lawful, proper and guaranteed under the constitution of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, our supreme law,” the Coalition’ said in a statement Wednesday, acknowledging that the appeal seeks to overturn and set aside an entire judgment by Guyana’s High Court handed down by the Chief Justice (ag) Roxane George.

The Coalition refused to accept defeat and continues to hold on to executive power although the international community including the Organisation of the American States, the Commonwealth, the Caribbean Community along with the United States, Britain, Canada and the European Union have all called for the recount figures to form the basis of any declaration that will be made.

Guyana’s stands to face serious sanctions by its international partners should any Government be installed without using the recount figures which promises a Presidency for Irfaan Ali of the People’s Progressive Party.

The Coalition has rejected these calls along with several previous court judgments by Guyana’s High Court and the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) which validated the recount data.

As it continues to use the courts through its agents to push its agenda of disenfranchising voters to secure a victory, the APNU+AFC said that it is committed to a lawful and credible declaration of results based on “valid votes.”

This is being done even as it has rejected and challenged several previous Court rulings which were not in its favour.

The Chief Justice in her definitive ruling said that the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) must declare the result of the elections of March 02, 2020, only from the data garnered from the national Vote Recount and that any irregularities would have to be addressed in an election petition.

The ruling which has been described as comprehensive and detailed went against what the APNU+AFC coalition is now challenging in the newest appeal where they want the results to be declared using the ten declarations from Returning Officers, including the fraudulent report of Clairmont Mingo which was prepared to hand them a victory.

But Mingo’s declarations were dismissed by the Chief Justice in her ruling.

She also ruled that the Chief Elections Officer is subject to the direction and control of the Commission in submitting his report to GECOM.

But the Coalition continues to maintain that the recount process uncovered “massive fraud” even though it has not provided any evidence.

“The recount process which was conducted, painstakingly, for thirty-three days revealed massive irregularities and extensive fraud which cannot be foisted on the Guyanese people to contrive an outcome that betrays the will of the electorate,” the defeated coalition now claims.

It said it remains confident of a credible and legitimate outcome to the elections and is willing to have dialogue with other political parties and stakeholders on the way forward.