Jagdeo brands Azruddin Mohamed’s ‘rigged election’ claim as lunacy

Vice President Dr Bharrat Jagdeo has condemned statements by newly sworn-in Opposition parliamentarian Azruddin Mohamed, who alleged shortly after taking his oath on Monday last that the 2025 general elections were rigged, calling the claim “outrageous” and “evidence of lunacy.”

Speaking at his weekly press conference on Thursday at Freedom House, Robb Street, Georgetown, Jagdeo criticised Mohamed’s statement to reporters at the ACCC on Monday, in which he claimed, “I won the elections.”

Azruddin, facing U.S sanctions and now indicted on several charges relating to gold smuggling, tax evasion, and financial crimes had formed the We Invest in Nationhood political movement to contest the September elections.

“Not even APNU made such outrageous claims,” Jagdeo said. “When asked for proof, he couldn’t provide any. He even suggested the GECOM website went down for three hours and votes were altered … but nobody else, including international observers or APNU, has ever made such allegations. All Statements of Poll were uploaded the same night.”

Jagdeo also criticised sections of the media present during Mohamed’s comments for not challenging him. “What is appalling is that the media didn’t ask, ‘Are you a madman?’ or ‘Are you a lunatic?’ How can you make such an outrageous claim and repeat it publicly without evidence?” he said.

He further pointed to Mohamed’s online supporters, including paid accounts and suspected Venezuelan trolls, noting that attempts to defend his claim lacked credibility. “If your boss tells you he won the elections without proof, you have to call it what it is — lunacy,” Jagdeo said.

Jagdeo alleged that Mohamed’s entry into politics was a calculated move to shield himself from pending legal action abroad. “They knew they were under global investigation since APNU days,” he said. “When the U.S. sanctions came in June 2024, indictment and extradition were inevitable. Lawyers probably advised them that being in politics might help. But in Guyana, even the Leader of the Opposition has no immunity — only the President does.”

Jagdeo also referenced his own experiences as Opposition Leader, when he was repeatedly questioned and detained by the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU), emphasising that Mohamed’s quest for the presidency is driven by self-preservation rather than public service.

Describing Mohamed as “a mediocre mind” obsessed with power, Jagdeo said, “He mumbles and strings together words, thinking it will pass as reasoned argument. Claiming he won the presidency without evidence is delusional. This is not politics …  it is madness dressed as ambition.”

The Vice President warned that Mohamed’s obsession with the presidency and attempts to evade justice will not succeed, either domestically or internationally.

“This is a man using politics to try to protect himself from accountability,” Jagdeo said. “It is feeble, unhinged, and completely unacceptable in a democratic society.”