Leader of the Alliance For Change, Nigel Hughes today declared his full support for any other person who may want to seek political office in Guyana, saying it will give people more options and broaden political participation across the country.
At a press conference yesterday, Mr. Jagdeo was asked about an apparent signal by businessman, Azruddin Mohamed that he intends to contest the next elections.
In response, Mr. Jagdeo said any person can run for office here, but warned that they will be subject to intense scrutiny of their affairs and dealings.
At an AFC press conference today, Mr. Hughes said Mr. Jagdeo’s utterances appeared to be an indirect threat to Mr. Mohamed to keep him out of the political scene. He said persons who have political ambitions must not and should be chased away by the PPP.
“We believe in this country, any citizen who wants to run for office, should run for office and should never be threatened, whether by some veil, or expressly, and so, those persons who have might have attracted the wrath in the case of Mr. Campbell and Mr. Mohamed, we believe that a strong statement should be made by all political parties, and civil society that the more people we have in the political race broadens the options for the citizenry ” Mr. Hughes said.
Hughes told the media that the PPP has got a long history of going after its political opponents and to settle political scores. He said Jagdeo’s tactics are from an old PPP playbook, where people are threatened with their tax records and other things to keep them away from politics.
“For whatever reason people may or may not like candidates entering, but they should not be deterred by veil threats, coming from office as high as the Vice President that they will be subject to scrutinise and therefore in the circumstance we reject any attempt by the government to put pressure on persons on might be considered. It is not lost on this population that people that the message is being sent that both in case of Terrence Campbell, Mr. Mohmaed and Mr. Lall who dares to threaten the PPP while in office that they have to be careful or else they would be subject to scrutiny,” Mr. Hughes noted.
Mr.Hughes said if Guyana is to build a modern, democratic society, then people must be free to exercise their political right of participation, particularly if the person appears to be popular and has ideas that could be useful for nation building.
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