Jagdeo denies PPPC, APNU held negotiations for Region Four top posts

Last Updated on Thursday, 16 October 2025, 17:56 by Denis Chabrol

General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Bharrat Jagdeo on Thursday denied that his party had negotiations with the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR)-led A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) that led to his party securing the chairmanship and vice chairmanship for the Region Four Council.

“We did not negotiate. Let me make it clear. We had no formal negotiation or informal negotiation with APNU. Let me make that clear today. Nothing of the sort,” he told a news conference.

At the secret balloting for the post of chairman, the FGM candidate openly stated that she voted for APNU Chairman Shanika Haynes. We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) executive member Tabita Sarabo-Halley said all of her party’s council members boycotted because an agreement with APNU for Region Ten’s chairmanship and vice chairmanship where there is a lingering tie.

The results of the September  1 regional elections showed that the PPP won 17 seats,  APNU 9, WIN 8 and Forward Guyana Movement 1. But after the voting PPP won 18, and APNU 8. There were 7 spoilt and two blank votes.

While the PPP secured the Region Four chairmanship and vice chairmanship by one vote, Mr Jagdeo said it could have been WIN or FGM councillor who voted for the PPP. With APNU having won 46,956 votes or 25 percent of the votes in Region Four, WIN 41,627 with 23 percent and PPP 87,536 or 49 percent which really meant that the PPP should be chairing the region due to its significant plurality.

“The people in Region Four spoke,” he said. “They don’t know who voted but that must be a democrat among their ranks who think the PPP won 87,000 votes (so) they should be chairing the region,” he said.

Mr Jagdeo said it was clear that WIN and APNU were collaborating “to shaft the will of the people in Region Four” after the September 1 general and regional elections.

Meanwhile, he cautioned that he could easily instruct the PPP’s three councillors in Region 10 to abstain and let WIN and APNU battle between themselves for the chairmanship and vice chairmanship.

WIN’s councillors are threatening to take legal action if the Regional Executive Officer does not call another round or rounds of elections.