PNCR/APNU can defeat PPP without the AFC – Norton

The leader of the largest opposition political force in the country, Aubrey Norton, is convinced that his party can defeat the incumbent by its lonesome but would prefer to coalesce with smaller parties in the name of political inclusivity.

During a press conference at the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) headquarters, Congress Place today, the Opposition Leader was adamant in his view that the ruling People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) stands no chance at retaining power come 2025.

Norton said that the PPP/C’s defeat is inevitable, citing “rampant corruption” and a “dwindling support base” as the likely factors behind the Irfaan Ali-led government’s loss.

But Norton’s assessment runs perpendicular to PPP/C’s claim that the party is undergoing an unprecedented support base expansion, owing this bulge to its “progressive” and people-centred initiatives. According to the PPP/C’s General Secretary, Bharrat Jagdeo, this enlargement of its support base transcends its strongholds, noting that the party has been successful in garnering support even in areas considered opposition heartlands.

Jagdeo also credited the party’s expansion to the electorate seeking a better alternative after recognising the APNU+AFC’s attempts in 2020 to thwart the results of the elections. International observers including the Carter Center, the Organisation of American States (OAS) and a Commission of Inquiry (COI) have documented instances of the coalition’s involvement.

Norton’s recent remarks about challenging the PPP/C as part of a collective signal a shift from his stance just two months ago, when he publicly advocated for the PNCR to go it alone. It was during this time that its partner, the Alliance for Change (AFC), with whom it shared government between 2015 and 2020, was undergoing a leadership transition. That party is now being led by Nigel Hughes, an attorney-at-law.

Notably, it was the merger of the APNU and AFC in 2015 that ended the PPP/C’s 23-year hold on power. Norton’s contemplation of possibly going it alone may alarm even some within the opposition who believe that the party must unite with others to succeed.