The A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance for Change (APNU/AFC) this morning filed its Elections Petition at the High Court challenging the validity of the March 02, 2020, General and Regional Elections.
The petition was filed by the Coalition’s lawyers John Jeremie, S.C; Roysdale Forde; S.C, Former Minister of Natural Resources Raphael Trotman, and Olayne Joseph.
Former President David Granger, AFC’s leader Khemraj Ramjattan and APNU General Secretary were also present at the High Court for the filing.
The party wants the High Court after hearing the petition to nullify the March 2 General and Regional Elections and order fresh elections within 90 days.
The APNU+ AFC, which has been in office for the past four years, was defeated at the elections by the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) by over 15,000 votes.
The applicants are Claudette Thorne and Heston Raymond Bostwick, both of Lot 63 Barr Street, Albouystown, Georgetown.
The former President, during the filing, reiterated his position that there were stuffed ballot boxes, missing documents ghost voting, among others. He noted that his party has enough evidence to prove that the governing party rigged the election.
The party is seeking the following: An Order that leave be and is hereby granted to them to herein initiate an Election Petition pursuant to the aforementioned Act to determine, inter alia questions regarding whether the General and Regional Elections have been lawfully conducted or the results have been or may have been, affected by any unlawful act or omission.
As a consequence thereof, whether the seats in the National Assembly have been lawfully allocated. Further, they are seeking such further or other Orders that the Court may deem just and Costs.
Among other things, Thorne and Bostwick contend the elections were unlawfully conducted and/or that the result of the said Elections (if lawfully conducted) were affected or might have been affected by unlawful acts or omissions.
Also, Bostwick and Thorne say that the General and Regional Elections were not conducted substantially or at all, in accordance with the laws as to Elections, namely: the Constitution of the Republic of Guyana, the National Registration Act, Chapter 19:08 as amended by the National Registration (Amendment) Act No. 15 of 2005; the Representation of the People Act, Chapter 1:03, the Local Democratic Organs Act, 1980, the Elections Regulations 1964, Order 60 of 2020 and any such contravention of the laws has or may have affected the results of the said Elections either generally or in any particular place.
They are also asking the Court to throw out the elections and have David Granger declared as President under those very elections they claim were conducted against the country’s electoral laws and constitution.
In fact, the petitioners want the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to use the vote count from the Ten Returning Officers to declare the results.
Besides, the duo contends that the Chief Elections Officer was not required to use the votes from the national recount to produce his election report.
Moreover, they want the Court to order fresh elections in 90 days after it rules on the case.
Bostwick and Thorne plan to produce several documents supporting their claims. Some of these documents are a copy of the national vote recount order, a copy of the notification of the results of the elections in the Official Gazette, among other things.
Notably, the Statements of Poll (SOP) from each polling station was not on the list.
Former State Minister and Executive Member of the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), Raphael Trotman, has indicated that a petition challenging the March General and Regional Elections declaration will be filed on Monday, August 31.
The respondents named are Chief Elections Officer Keith Lowenfield, representative of APNU+AFC David Granger, representative of the Federal United Party Horatio Edmonson, representative of the PPP Bharrat Jagdeo, representative of the Liberty and Justice Party John Flores, representative of the New Movement Asha Kissoon, Representative of the United Republican Party Vishnu Bandhu, representative of Change Guyana Abedin Ali, representative of the Peoples Republican Party Patrick Bourne, representative of A New and United Guyana Jonathan Bourne, representative of The Citizenship Initiative Shazaam Ally and representative of Organisation for Victory of the People Gerald Perreira.
