Azruddin Mohamed worried about extradition- Jagdeo

Last Updated on Tuesday, 15 July 2025, 1:12 by Writer

General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), Bharrat Jagdeo on Sunday said United States (U.S.)-sanctioned Guyanese businessman Azruddin Mohamed has entered politics hoping to avoid being extradited and jailed.

“This guy is just trying to save his ass from jail,” Mr Jagdeo told thousands of party supporters who went with buses and other vehicles to attend the campaign launch rally on Alexander Street, Kitty, Georgetown outside the former Parsatoon’s Pharmacy.

The PPP General Secretary said people were not gravitating to “failed parties” like A Partnership for National Unity and the Alliance For Change.

Mr Mohamed, his father Nazar “Shell” Mohamed and then Permanent Secretary Mae Thomas were sanctioned in June 2024. The Mohameds were cited for alleged evasion of US$50 million in taxes to the Guyana government for the export of more than 10,000 kilogrammes of gold.

In contrast to very few references about the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR)-led A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), Mr Azruddin, Leader of the We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) political party, featured more in speeches by Mr Jagdeo and PPP-Civic presidential candidate, Irfaan Ali at the launch of their campaign for the September 1, 2025 general and regional election.

Since the U.S. sanctions, the PPP and the government have made concerted efforts to break all official and unofficial ties with the Mohameds, going as far as saying on Sunday that APNU had already assured the WIN leader that an APNU-led government would resist efforts by the U.S. to have him extradited. “They promised Mohamed that if the U.S. tries to take him away, extradite him, they will oppose it. That’s why they have a behind-the-scenes collaboration,” he said.

APNU/PNCR spokesman, Sherwood Lowe on Sunday dismissed Mr Jagdeo’s claim. “Total nonsense. PPP desperation,” he told Demerara Waves Online News.

Referring to the hundreds of persons who turn out to meet with Mr Azruddin during his community visits across Guyana, President Ali accused the billionaire businessman of paying for support. “Azruddin Mohamed has stooped to the lowest form of dignity where he now believes that he can pay people for their dignity. Remember your vote is your dignity…Anyone who thinks that they can pay you for your dignity is someone who is classless, someone who has no dignity, no honour, no heart..,” he said.

Meanwhile, the PPP General Secretary urged party faithful to be vigilant and not to get distracted by the Internet presence of others. Although Mr Jagdeo predicted a “massive” PPP victory and shrugged off electoral threats from his opponents, he emphasised the need to get out all eligible voters to cast their ballots. “The Internet doesn’t vote, people do and we have the numbers here. It would be inevitable only if you do the work that is necessary between now and election day. We have to be vigilant…We have to be diligent,” he said. Mr Jagdeo encouraged attendees to return to their communities and assist activists to get PPP voters out.

The PPP is depending on the provision of 50,000 house lots over the past five years, reintroduction of free tuition at the University of Guyana, doubling of old age pensions, removal of GY$50 billion in taxes, assisting miners, the training of tens of thousands persons up to the tertiary level, a unified Guyana, and scrapping the excise tax on fuel to help stabilise cost of living. Other priorities, Mr Jagdeo said, included heavy investments in health, education, pensions, newborns, and school-age children.