PPP wins townships, NDCs previously controlled by APNU for the first time
In what can be described as an ‘overwhelming victory and a massive gain’ at the 2023 Local Government Elections (LGEs), the governing People’s Progressive Party (PPP) has managed to secure majority seats in townships and NDCs that are historic strongholds of the PNC-led APNU opposition party, for the first time.
It has recorded wins in 66 of the 80 Local Authority Areas (LAAs) including the popular vote in four LAAs where it has tied with the main opposition party.
This means that APNU has only earned majority seats in merely 14 of the 80 LAAs, a decrease from 23 LAAs in the previously held LGEs.
General Secretary of the PPP, Dr Bharrat Jagdeo speaking during a press conference on Tuesday at Freedom House, described the wins as a ‘massive landslide victory’ for the party.
In two towns, Bartica and Mahdia, PPP and the APNU have reached a tie in terms of seats on the councils. However, Dr Jagdeo said despite the tie, the PPP has secured the majority of the popular votes and will consequently claim the Mayorship.
Results released by the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) indicate that in the PR component of the elections in Bartica, the PPP/C received 1,784 votes compared to 1,601 votes for the APNU.
“That’s the definition of a wipeout, that’s a definition of a landslide,” the general secretary expressed.
Results in the Mahdia LAA have not been released by GECOM up to press time.
According to results by GECOM, the Industry/Plaisance NDC, another APNU stronghold, the PPP managed to secure 1,775 votes while the APNU received 1,746 votes. This means the PPP has won five seats on the council while the APNU has won four seats.
The party has also managed to flip the Hague/Blankenburg NDC, under which Den Amstel, a PNC stronghold falls.
Despite the APNU retaining control of the Capital City of Georgetown, as well as New Amsterdam and Linden, the general secretary highlighted significant gains made by the PPP in those areas.
In Georgetown, the PPP has secured five of the 15 seats, an increase from three seats in the 2018 LGE and from 6,813 votes in 2018 to 12, 250 votes in 2023.
The PPP also won three of the constituencies in New Amsterdam, while the APNU gained four. As a result, the PPP will have a total of six seats on the council, whereas the APNU will hold eight seats.
This marks a change from the 2018 elections when the APNU won 11 seats and the PPP had three in that area, the general secretary revealed.
“Our votes have increased significantly…we got 1,314 votes more than more than in 2018, which is a 270% increase over 2018…that is a major inroad in a stronghold of APNU,” he said. The PPP is victorious in areas such as Mabaruma, Anna Regina, Rose Hall, Lethem and Corriverton.
Meanwhile, the general secretary is urging the newly elected councillors to live up to the ideals of the party which is working in the interest of the people.