Guyana: Opposition no-show stalls election meeting as PPP/C secures 2nd term

Guyana: A crucial verification meeting of Guyana’s recent elections was thrown into uncertainty as Opposition-nominated Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Commissioners failed to attend the meeting scheduled for 11 p.m.

The 11 p.m. meeting scheduled by GECOM Chairperson, retired Justice of Appeal, Claudette Singh, was adjourned due the no show of the Opposition Commissioner.

While the results of the elections were already verified by the local and international election commissions that the elections in Guyana were free and fair, the results made it clear that the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) won the September 1 elections, cementing a second term for President Dr. Irfaan Ali.

In keeping with section 96 of Guyana's Representation of the People Act, the CEO of the Election Commission will compile the official results by using the declarations that are provided by the Returning Officers, while also factoring in the verified outcomes of the recounts of ballots. This report is then scheduled to be presented to the GECOM which further paves the way for a final declaration of the results.

Although the results had already been announced, the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) refused to accept the outcome and demanded a recount for District Four and Region Five, which was approved by GECOM. However, in a surprising turn of events, APNU ended up with fewer votes after the recount.

APNU is struggling to come to terms with its crushing defeat in the September 1 general and regional elections, where the party has lost its position as the main opposition in most regions. The WIN party has surpassed APNU, emerging as the main opposition in the 2025 elections.

For the first time since the formation of APNU in the 1950s, the political party will not be playing a major role as either the government or the main opposition. The party under the leadership of Aubrey Norton has lost main support in the traditional strongholds of the party and failed to make inroads in unfamiliar areas, leaving WIN to come up as the main opposition.