APNU, AFC to resume talks on coalescing for 2025 elections

Last Updated on Sunday, 2 February 2025, 20:20 by Writer

The People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR)-led A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and the Alliance For Change (AFC) are set to resume talks on whether they should contest this year’s general and regional elections jointly.

“We are setting up things to resume,” a source told Demerara Waves Online News on Sunday.

Almost two weeks after saying that the engagement was on “life support” after their agreement was leaked to the media, AFC Leader Nigel Hughes was on Saturday cautiously upbeat about the prospects for renewed talks. “There has been an increase in oxygen. It’s oxygenated and I believe that we’re well out of the conditions we were in 10 days ago,” he told reporters.

The two sides have set themselves a March 31 deadline or any mutually agreed timeframe to decide on whether they will contest the polls separately.

Meanwhile, Mr Hughes opened up the door to the possibility of someone else other than himself or PNCR Leader, Aubrey Norton being the presidential candidate.

“The AFC is not advancing their candidate. We’re saying that there should be a process and the process should be in the best interest of the country so it doesn’t have to be Nigel Hughes; it doesn’t have to be anybody that may be in the process at the moment,” he said.

Mr Hughes has repeatedly referred to the need for polls and other criteria to determine the presidential candidacy, but on Saturday he opted not to provide details.

“I wouldn’t want to inadvertently impact any of the discussions that are going on at the moment and I’m sure you will hear in due course,” he said.

Mr Norton often refers to last year’s decision by his party’s congress that he must be the presidential candidate and only he could decide on a change.

City businessman, Dr Terrence Campbell had previously told Demerara Waves Online News that he was avaliable to be a regular candidate. “If offered the opportunity to join that slate, I will certainly do so. I am prepared to serve under any of the current leaders or any compromise candidate they choose,” he had said.