APNU only contesting 279 of 610 constituencies for LGE – Jagdeo fact checks Norton

Hours after Opposition Leader, Aubrey Norton said on Thursday that the APNU Coalition was contesting in “virtually all” constituencies for the June 12 Local Government Elections, General Secretary of the governing People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C), Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo has called him out on his lies.

According to Jagdeo, the facts are that APNU is only contesting in 279 of the 610 constituencies.

And by his calculations, that is roughly 45 per cent of all the constituencies in the country.

“He [Norton] just said to the media that they are contesting in virtually all…45% can’t be equated to virtually all.

“He just lied to the entire country,” Jagdeo said.

Providing further numbers, Jagdeo said when the APNU candidates are combined with those from groups and individuals contesting the elections, it only accounts for 327 of the 610 constituencies.

This means there is no contest in about 283 of the 610 constituencies.

“…The PPP has already won those areas because we contested in all 610. We already won 283 of the 610 constituencies,” Jagdeo said during his press conference from the PPP/C Robb Street, Georgetown Headquarters – Freedom House.

“For a national party like APNU to contest in only 45 per cent is a total disaster for that party,” the seasoned politician contended.

The 610 constituencies are part of 80 larger local authority areas. APNU is only contesting in 24 of the 80 local authority area, Jagdeo added.

The PPP/C General Secretary also dismissed claims by Norton that the PPP/C is involved in fraud because signatories on statutory documents for the elections were suspicious.

And in turn, Jagdeo claimed that it was Norton’s party – the People’s National Congress Reform (PNC/R) – that forged many signatures of the candidates they have put up.

“We are taking steps to address this matter and will be glad if Norton does the same since he says he has information.”

Jagdeo read parts of a letter written by Linden resident, Marsha McKinnon who contested her name being used by the APNU as a candidate for an area at Retrieve.

“This is a candidate, not a backer, a candidate that they forged the signature of,” Jagdeo posited.

He said too that the APNU’s list lacked diversity, which is in stark contrast to the list submitted to the Guyana Elections Commission by the PPP/C on Monday last during the Nomination Day activities.