Alliance for Change leader, Nigel Hughes, on Tuesday clarified that the party has not demanded that it be given the Presidential candidate spot in a possible coalition with APNU. However, he maintains that the AFC wants a “consensus candidate” instead of APNU’s Presidential candidate, Aubrey Norton.
In a Facebook post on Mr. Hughes’ Facebook page, he said the AFC was “categorically rejecting mischaracterizations and inaccuracies” in the ongoing APNU-AFC coalition talks. He emphasised that the party has sought a consensus candidate to lead the ticket for the coalition, opining that such an individual could represent a “genuine third-party representative.”
“The AFC has proposed multiple independent and qualified Guyanese as potential consensus candidates, including former Minister of Foreign Affairs and Vice President Carl Greenidge, whose credentials and integrity are beyond reproach. None of these proposals was accepted by APNU, and it is a matter of public record that there was only one party that insisted on a specific candidate without compromise. That insistence, not any action by the AFC, has hindered meaningful progress toward unity,” the statement noted.
APNU/ AFC coalition talks collapse despite ‘best efforts’ in negotiations
There has been increased discussion about the coalition talks again, following statements made by the AFC’s David Patterson and the PNC’s Sherwood Lowe several days ago. The two men spoke about the diverging positions of the two parties, positions which hinder the formation of a coalition.
The People’s National Congress (PNC) is the major Constituent of A Partnership for National Unity (APNU).
It was reported that AFC demanded 55% of the Parliamentary seats that the coalition wins after the elections, but APNU wanted it to be a 70/30 split, with APNU getting the larger share as it has brought in more votes in the past. Additionally, APNU held firm that the presidential candidate should be PNC leader Aubrey Norton, since the PNC is the largest opposition political party and the largest party in APNU. The AFC had said it wanted Nigel Hughes as the presidential candidate, but also spoke of a consensus candidate.
APNU and AFC held government office between 2015 and 2020 as a coalition; they had been engaged in talks to revive the alliance ahead of this year’s general elections. However, multiple sources suggest the talks collapsed over disagreements about the presidential candidate, the allocation of parliamentary seats and ministerial portfolios—issues seen by many as reflective of deeper mistrust and competition for power.
Aside from addressing concerns over the selection of the Presidential candidate, Mr. Hughes addressed the sharing of Parliamentary seats.
“While we recognize that the AFC, like all political movements, must continuously work to broaden its support, it is disingenuous to suggest that electoral viability hinges solely on historic polling. The AFC brings policy depth, principled leadership, and a track record of governance reform, all of which are essential to any coalition seeking to deliver results for the people of Guyana,” the post on Mr. Hughes’ page noted.
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