APNU+AFC backs Final Election Report using only “valid votes”

According to the Coalition, the Court of Appeal determined that a final credible count as contemplated by Order No. 60 of 2020 does not mean a mere numerical tabulation of votes but an assessment of the credibility of votes as contemplated by the Order.

APNU+AFC backs Final Election Report using only “valid votes”

The incumbent APNU+AFC is standing by the final report issued to the Guyana Elections Commission by the Chief Elections Officer using the valid and credible votes that were cast at the elections.

In a three-page statement today, the APNU+AFC also defended and supported the Court of Appeal’s decision on the issue of valid votes.

According to the Coalition, the Court of Appeal determined that a final credible count as contemplated by Order No. 60 of 2020 does not mean a mere numerical tabulation of votes but an assessment of the credibility of votes as contemplated by the Order.

It pointed to the gazetted order for the recount and the system that was put in place by that order for the recount.

The coalition said the recount order clearly set out the modus operandi for the Elections Commission (GECOM) for the validation of votes in the recount exercise and the Representation of the People Act requires the Chief Election Officer (CEO) to ascertain the valid votes cast in an election.

The APNU AFC said the Chief Election Officer followed the direction of the Court and his report shows clearly that the APNU+AFC Coalition received 171,825 and the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) received 166,343 of the valid and credible votes cast at the General and Regional Elections.

Lowenfield’s decision to put together the results based only on valid votes has resulted in more than 115,000 votes being discarded. He has come under criticism for that move by some of the political parties and the CARICOM Chairperson.

According to the coalition, the CEO is empowered and instructed by the Constitution and Laws of Guyana, not by any other entity or person, adding that he has discharged his functions within the ambit of the law.

The APNU+AFC said the recount process revealed a plethora of grave irregularities and the recount was intended to determine both the quantitative and qualitative nature of the votes cast at the General and Regional Elections and to determine “a final credible count”.

The party is holding firm to its position that at the end of the recount, it became clear that the results disclosed did not meet the standard for credible elections.

The Elections Commission recorded anomalies, discrepancies and irregularities that included votes being cast for dead persons and persons who migrated, missing ballot box documents, ballots cast exceeding the number of persons on the list and ballots cast with improper identification.

The Coalition said it was the Commission that investigated instances of voter impersonation and was provided with the relevant immigration records and death certificates by the competent statutory authority confirming that certain persons in whose names votes were cast were dead or were not in the jurisdiction on the date of the General and Regional Elections.

On the CARICOM high level team report, the APNU+AFC noted that the Report acknowledged the occurrence of the anomalies discrepancies and irregularities although the team assessed only 18 per cent of the ballot boxes.

The APNU+AFC Coalition said it will abide by the Constitution and the Representation of the People

on the public to respect the Constitution and laws of Guyana.

The matter on the declaration of the results is currently before the Caribbean Court of Justice.

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