Dominic Gaskin, former Alliance for Change (AFC) executive member and son-in-law of ex-President David Granger, has suggested the opposition parties would be unable to beat the PPP at next year’s general elections, particular because of their actions the last time around in trying to rig the 2020 elections.
“That’s my view, and it’s not with any malice. I don’t think they can recover from what happened in 2020,” Gaskin stated during an interview on the Freddie Kissoon television show.
Several high-ranking electoral officials, along with politicians in the former APNU government, are currently facing legal proceedings over their roles in attempting to alter the 2020 election outcome.
During that time, Gaskin, who served as Minister of Business, was one of the few members of the government who publicly denounced the actions of his own coalition, calling for the party to accept its defeat.
On the Freddie Kisson show, Gaskin delivered a scathing assessment of the opposition’s failure to accept the results of the 2020 elections, which saw the return of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) to power after a tense, protracted election process.
Gaskin expressed the belief that the opposition’s unwillingness to accept the will of the electorate in 2020 has already cost them the 2025 race.
“I think they lost the 2025 elections in advance.”
Gaskin, who is well known for his frank political observations, made clear his view that the opposition’s actions during the 2020 elections have weakened their standing with the public.
He argued that the party’s failure to respect the democratic process has eroded public trust, and as a result, the PPP is now in a commanding position to win the next election.
“The PPP will win the 2025 election simply because of what occurred in 2020,” Gaskin declared.
“They (the opposition) need to demonstrate to the public that they are prepared to recognise the will of the people at the next election. I am hoping that the current opposition is prepared to recognise it as the legitimate will of the people,” he added.
When questioned about the leadership of the AFC, Gaskin deflected the query, instead emphasising the broader question of the opposition’s readiness to engage in a fair electoral process.
“You can’t participate in that process and discredit it because you didn’t win.”
Nonetheless, Gaskin expressed confidence that the AFC could regain its former parliamentary strength, which it had prior to joining forces with the APNU in 2011 and forming a coalition government in 2015.
However, he predicted that the party’s future electoral gains would come at the expense of the APNU, rather than the PPP’s traditional base.
“Nigel [Hughes] will take more votes from APNU rather than from the PPP,” Gaskin added, referring to Nigel Hughes, leader of the AFC.
