Africo Selman resigns as APNU MP on eve of parliamentary dissolution

Last Updated on Saturday, 28 February 2015, 23:57 by GxMedia

People’s National Congress (PNC) member, Africo Selman resigned as a parliamentarian for A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) two days before the law-making body was due to be dissolved to make way for general and regional elections.

General Secretary of APNU, Joseph Harmon said he has seen a copy of Selman’s resignation dated February 26th that was delivered to the National Assembly and the Leader of the Opposition, David Granger on Friday.  The reason she gave was that she was “tired of infighting in the APNU,” something he said he has never heard of before.

“Not that I am aware of. At least, she never made that known to me or for as I know anyone in the leadership of the APNU,” she said.

Repeated efforts to contact Selman by telephone were unsuccessful.

Harmon could not say whether she has resigned from the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR), but observed that he had not seen her since last year September when they addressed a public meeting on the East Bank Demerara. Harmon, who is also a senior PNCR member, could not recall seeing her at their party’s last Biennial Congress in July, 2014 and certainly not at the most recent General Council.

The PNCR/APNU official said he has heard unconfirmed information that Selman would be joining the People’s Progressive Party Civic’s (PPPC) campaign for the May 11, 2015 general and regional elections. “If there is any truth in that it would seem to be a PR (public relations) stunt by the PPP because I can see no solid reason why she would resign from the National Assembly on the 26^th of February when the Parliament is going to be dissolved on the 28^th so I can say that that is for PR purposes because two days later it would have no effect,” he said.

Harmon said he was not entirely surprised by her resignation because she has not been politically active in recent times.

Two years ago, when President Donald Ramotar and a team of ministers met with Guyanese in Brooklyn, New York, Selman was seated in the audience and even clapped approvingly during the Guyanese leader’s address and exchanged notes with Foreign Minister, Carloyn Rodrigues-Birkett.

Selman is one of Ramotar’s relatives.

Looking back at the planned no-confidence motion, Harmon said he was convinced then that she would have been one of the 33 opposition parliamentarians who would have voted in favour of it. “I cannot look into people’s heads to know what they are thinking but as far as I know, I felt convinced at that time that she would have voted for us,” he said.

Harmon assured that Selman’s resignation would not affect the APNU-Alliance For Change (AFC) campaign for the next general and regional elections.