Former President David Granger on Sunday claimed that he never declared victory in the 2020 General and Regional Elections but a video captured days after the elections contradicts his assertions.
In a letter in Sunday’s edition of the Stabroek Newspaper, Granger said, “I affirm that I have never ‘declared victory’ in the General and Regional Elections 2020 and I never hosted a victory party.”
He further added: “I wish to point out that the APNU+AFC’ Coalition’s campaign headquarters was located on Lamaha St. and the witness might have mistakenly assumed that the persons who had assembled there to await the elections results were at a victory party.”
In a video from March 5, 2020- just two days after voting day- Granger could be seen thanking hundreds of supporters who gathered on Lamaha Street, Georgetown, to celebrate what was described as the coalition’s victory.
“Tonight, the APNU and AFC have come to tell you thanks. We worked hard and we covered all of the regions. You know what we stand for and you have supported us,” Granger told the supporters in the video.
He even went further to state that the APNU+AFC government would make life better for Guyanese during its second term in office, that is from 2020 to 2025.
“Over the next five years, we are going to make life better for you. I thank you from the bottom of my heart. The APNU thanks you. The AFC thanks you,” the former President said.
It wasn’t only Granger who declared victory. Several other prominent APNU+AFC members claimed victory, though Statements of Poll (SOPs) indicated otherwise. It was the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) that had won the elections.
In the weeks and months that followed the elections, it was apparent that several actors, be it from the APNU+AFC coalition or the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) attempted to rig the elections in favour of the coalition.
In so doing, votes for the APNU+AFC coalition were inflated, and those for the PPP/C, deflated.
After several local, regional, and international observers including the diplomatic corps and Caribbean Community (CARICOM) voiced strong objections and a national recount showed a victory for the PPP, the coalition walked back its claim of a victory and started a campaign to discredit the elections.
Former APNU+AFC Minister and son-in-law of Granger, Dominic Gaskin, was one of the persons who condemned the rigging and called on the coalition to concede.
It was only after five months, in August 2020, that it was officially announced that the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) won the elections and Irfaan Ali would be sworn in as President.
