Jagdeo downplays turnouts at Azruddin Mohamed’s community stops

Last Updated on Friday, 14 March 2025, 21:52 by Writer

People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPPC) General Secretary, Bharrat Jagdeo on Thursday said his party was not worried about the apparent sizeable turnouts by residents at community visits by city businessman, Azruddin Mohamed.

“If you look at the results across the country, you will see now that the PPP is probably stronger than it was ever before and, therefore, I have absolutely no worry about the elections,” he told his weekly news conference.

Recently, Mr. Mohamed visited several villages on the Essequibo Coast, an area traditionally supportive of the PPP, where he was met by many residents, several of whom expressed their grievances. However, Mr. Jagdeo noted that the gatherings, which he estimated to be around 150 persons each, consisted of individuals who were being “recycled” and transported by bus to various locations. He said attendees left disappointed when they were not given money.

The PPP General Secretary repeatedly hammered Mr Mohamed and his father, Nazar “Shell” Mohamed, citing their statements aimed at the ruling party. Pressed on why he was paying so much attention to the Mohameds if he was not concerned about the likely electoral impact of the son contesting the elections, Mr Jagdeo insisted that he was confident that the PPP would beat its opponents in the general and regional elections later this year and return to power. “We are accounting for enough votes to win the elections handsomely, not for every voter,” he said. “The thing is we take on people who come against us, whether they’re the Mohameds or anyone else,” he said.

He banked his forecast on the dismal performance of the People’s National Congress Reform-led coalition of A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance For Change administration from 2015 to 2020 and hard political work by his PPP over the past almost five years. He said people are “rational beings” and so rice farmers, sugar workers, gold miners and bauxite workers are among those who would not vote for the opposition.

The PPP won the 2020 general elections by 15,416 votes against APNU+AFC and the coalition secured 4,545 votes in 2015 to beat the PPP. Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) records show that regionally, the PPP in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) clinched 18,755 votes while APNU+AFC garnered 7,290 votes. He suggested that the 496 persons were “the same PPP haters” who voted for the small parties in that Region were now gravitating to the Mohameds. He said there was a similar pattern in Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) where in 2020 the PPP won 43,000 odd votes and APNU+AFC more than 20,000 votes and the small parties got 1,738 votes. “It’s the same people who would not have come to the PPP like some of the others. A few might migrate, yes, not going to make any difference. On the other hand, the PPP nationally, as we demonstrated in the local government elections, we have grown our support,” he said.

Meanwhile, Mr Jagdeo denied that the Mohameds, now sanctioned by the United States for alleged tax evasion on gold sales, had previously helped finance the PPP.

The younger Mohamed has not said that he would be contesting in the 2025 elections, but he has stepped up his community visits. He is seen in edited videos on his Facebook page making brief political comments during his visits.