By Mark DaCosta- The People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) has called on Attorney General (AG) Anil Nandlall to address the long-standing allegations of voter fraud that have continued to dominate political discussions. In a press statement issued on November 15, 2024, the PNCR expressed growing frustration over the government’s lack of transparency and accountability, particularly concerning a promise made by the AG over two years ago to investigate widespread claims of voter impersonation.
The opposition party is demanding that AG Nandlall update the public on the status of the investigation, particularly regarding evidence provided by the APNU+AFC coalition. This evidence, which was submitted to the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) in 2022, allegedly exposes irregularities in the electoral process, including voter impersonation and identity theft.
Back in September 2022, Attorney General Nandlall, amid media fanfare, announced that he had requested key documents from GECOM in order to investigate claims of voter fraud during the 2020 elections.
The evidence presented by the opposition coalition included two sets of data: one identifying individuals who had allegedly voted in the elections despite being deceased, and another listing people who, according to immigration records, were out of the country at the time of voting but still appeared on the voters’ list.
At the time, the AG assured the public that once the documents were received, they would be forwarded to the appropriate agencies for verification. Nandlall also promised that if the allegations were substantiated, the government would take legal action, including potential criminal charges.
However, the recent PNCR’s statement highlights a worrying lack of progress since those initial assurances. More than two years have passed, but the Attorney General has remained silent on the matter. The PNCR is now demanding answers from Nandlall, asking why there has been no update on whether the relevant agencies were ever contacted for an investigation, and if so, what their findings were. “Why the convenient silence? Why the attempts to bury the matter?” the party’s statement asks.
In addition, the PNCR alleges that the ruling People’s Progressive Party (PPP), in collusion with GECOM Chairperson Claudette Singh, has intentionally suppressed investigations into the 2020 electoral fraud.
The PNCR remains adamant that voter impersonation and identity theft were widespread in the 2020 elections, benefiting the PPP and undermining the democratic process. The party insists that the evidence now in the possession of both GECOM and the Attorney General strongly supports these claims, and they are demanding that these issues be thoroughly investigated.
As part of the campaign for reform, the PNCR has also advocated for a fresh list.
The push for a fresh voters’ list is supported by the Alliance For Change (AFC) and the Working People’s Alliance (WPA), both of which have echoed the PNCR’s calls for a more transparent electoral process.
The calls for reform from opposition parties have not been well received by the ruling People’s Progressive Party (PPP). In a press conference held on November 14, 2024, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo vehemently rejected any suggestion that the 2025 elections be slightly delayed – as suggested by the WPA – to allow for a review of the voters’ list and the introduction of biometric verification.
Jagdeo stressed that the PPP government has no intention of extending its time in office beyond the constitutionally mandated term. “We don’t want a single day beyond what is constitutionally given to the PPP,” Jagdeo said. He described the suggestion of slightly postponing elections as a “trap,” implying that any delay would be used by opposition parties to discredit the legitimacy of the government.
Jagdeo also defended the current electoral system, pointing to the legal reforms implemented through the Representation of the People (Amendment) Act of 2022. These reforms, he argued, have strengthened the electoral process, making it more difficult for voter impersonation to occur. The Vice President said that polling stations are equipped with police officers, and each political party is allowed to deploy its own agents to monitor the process.
Jagdeo also downplayed the opposition’s claims of voter fraud, dismissing them as unsubstantiated. “The opposition has not produced a thread of evidence to prove its case,” he said, referring to the allegations of voter impersonation. That assertion by Jagdeo is in direct contradiction of the recent press statement from the PNCR.
As the 2025 general elections draw nearer, the divide between the opposition and the ruling government over the integrity of the electoral process remains wide. The opposition parties, led by the PNCR, continue to demand comprehensive electoral reforms, including a new voters’ list and biometric verification, to ensure the credibility of future elections.
Meanwhile, the PPP maintains that the current systems in place are robust and sufficient to prevent voter fraud. However, with the opposition continuing to push for greater transparency, it is clear that the debate over electoral reform will be a defining issue as the nation prepares for the next round of elections.
For now, the future of Guyana’s electoral process hangs in the balance, with both sides continuing to press their positions. The PNCR’s calls for accountability from the Attorney General and their push for reform reflect ongoing concerns over electoral integrity.
