Two months later: APNU+AFC still without Opposition Leader; Henry’s resignation takes effect today

More than two months after Joseph Harmon officially resigned as the Leader of the Opposition and subsequently as a Member of Parliament (MP), former President David Granger has made no efforts to replace him or Nicolette Henry who also resigned as an MP.

Henry’s resignation takes effect today, March 31, which means that there are now two vacant seats on the Opposition side of the National Assembly.

Granger is the Representative of the List of Candidates for the APNU+AFC opposition and the responsibility lies with him to inform the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) of the resignations and who the replacements will be; the News Room understands that he is yet to do so.

The News Room has also confirmed that the Speaker of the National Assembly Manzoor Nadir has already written to Granger informing him of the need to fill the vacancies.

Reports indicate that the former President is out of the jurisdiction and so it is not clear when the vacancies will be filled, further stymying the imminent selection of Leader of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNC/R) Aubrey Norton as the new Opposition Leader.

It will have to be Granger who puts up Norton’s name as one of the new replacement MPs, after which he (Norton) will be selected as the Leader of the Opposition by the current Opposition MPs.

The APNU+AFC remains in turmoil since its attempts to rig the March 2020 national elections and has seen major shake-ups in the internal politics of the PNC/R – the largest party in the coalition.

Harmon first resigned as Opposition Leader on January 26, 2022, following immense pressure from the Central Executive Committee (CEC) of the PNC/R.

That followed his failed attempt to seize the leadership of the PNC/R during the December 2021 Congress; Harmon was confronted with weekly manoeuvres from party comrades to give up the post.

It was also in January that both Harmon and Granger resigned as General Secretary and Chairman, respectively of A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), paving the way for Norton to take the mantle.

That is yet to happen but Norton says he remains patient.

Shortly after, on February 2, 2022, Henry announced her resignation as a Parliamentarian and complained of being side-lined amid efforts to silence her by party comrades.