Although APNU/AFC actions differ, Granger once again says he will accept GECOM’s declaration

Georgetown: For the umpteen time, President David Granger once again said he will accept whatever results are declared by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM). However, on this occasion he accepted even if the declaration is not in his favour.

David Granger

On the sidelines of the opening of the new COVID-19 Hospital at Liliendaal, East Coast Demerara on Thursday, Granger still explicitly did not concede defeat.

The President said: “With respect, my statements on compliance with the declaration wasn’t conditional, I didn’t say if the rain is falling or the sun is shining, you know, if it comes by day or by night, I am obliged to observe the declaration of the Chairman of the Guyana Elections Commission.”

Local and international stakeholders have collectively called for the recount results to be used as the basis for a declaration, and just as the GECOM Chair made her request to the Chief Elections Officer (CEO) for a final report reflecting those results, the APNU+AFC moved to the court to block the declaration. It has been almost five months after the elections were held March 2nd.

Granger’s APNU+AFC Coalition has used the courts to try to get GECOM to declare results other than the recount figures which show the Opposition People’s Progressive Party (PPP) has won.

The President in the past committed to accepting the national vote recount figures which show the PPP winning the elections by over 15,000 votes but agents of Granger have moved to the court to block GECOM from using the figures.

This country’s highest court – the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) – on July 8 ruled that votes already counted during the national recount of votes are valid and should form the basis of a declaration of a winner.