GECOM Chair declared Ali as President after last ditch effort for Granger/Jagdeo dialogue failed
elections, that dead people voted, that people who did not have the relevant documents for employment or affidavit voted...” Alexander stressed.
The commissioners in their joint statement said that they believe the commission should have adopted a “nondeclaration” as in their view, it is the only way fairness and impartiality as provided for in the constitution can be guaranteed.
Way forward
Just around noon, the meeting was adjourned after the coalition appointed GECOM commissioners suggested that President Granger and Jagdeo meet on “the way forward” as the recount tabulation was “not acceptable”.
The proposal for the meeting was forwarded by Corbin and he told reporters that the GECOM Chair acceded to the request for the meeting.
Corbin said that the motivator for the recount was an agreement between Granger and Jagdeo. He added that based on the “evidence” thrown up in the recount the use of the recount result could generate “a lot of ripples in the society”, notwithstanding that GECOM could make a decision on its own.
He said that what was proposed was that there be an engagement among the leaders in the same way to determine the way forward.
Corbin said that the Chair agreed to the suggestion after “some exchanges” and then spoke to both leaders.
However, Jagdeo, General Secretary of the PPP and who, will now serve as Vice President in Ali’s government indicated that he would only engage with Granger after a declaration was made.
Subsequently, Granger in a statement signaled that he was ready to concede after stating that his party would file an elections petition.
The coalition leader recognised that “the Commission has a legal obligation as a result of the recent ruling of the Court of Appeal, to proceed with a declaration.”
On that note, Granger in his statement said the APNU+ AFC coalition maintains that the anomalies and irregularities which have been uncovered during the recount process cannot be accepted and will form the grounds for an election petition.
Opposition-nominated Commissioner Sase Gunraj told reporters that the coalition commissioners tried to litigate matters that would have been dealt with in the past when the meeting was convened yesterday morning.
He said it was during those discussions that the suggestion was placed on the table for the leaders of both sides to meet and discuss a possible way forward.
The meeting reconvened at 2pm and at that point Lowenfield presented his report to the commission.
According to Gunraj, he objected to claims of voters impersonation made by Lowenfield in his report to the commission prior to the declaration of the results.
Reflecting on the conclusion of the painstaking election process, Gunraj said the entire saga could have been avoided. He noted too that there has been severe dereliction of duty by staff members of the commission but those matters will have to be addressed at a later date.