WIN accuses PPP and APNU of ‘backroom deals’, says collusion blocking the will of the people

The We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) party, led by Azruddin Mohamed, is condemning what it describes as “clear political collusion” between the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) and A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) following the outcomes of several Regional Democratic Council (RDC) chairmanship elections held this week.

In Region 8, WIN and the PPP each secured seven regional seats, while APNU gained one. During the swearing-in and election of office bearers, the APNU councillor voted in favour of the PPP’s candidate for Regional Chairman, handing the PPP control of the region. In return, the PPP supported APNU for the Vice-Chair position — a move WIN says exposes “blatant collusion” between the two major parties.

In Region 10, WIN emerged as the largest party with nine seats, followed by APNU with five, PPP with three, and FGM with one. However, during the election for Regional Chairman, all other parties — PPP, APNU, and FGM — voted together in favour of APNU’s nominee, creating a 9–9 deadlock with WIN. The final decision now lies with Minister of Local Government Priya Manickchand.

WIN has denounced the outcome as an orchestrated attempt to undermine the democratic will of the electorate. The party said the events in both regions reveal a deeper truth of “backroom deals and power-sharing arrangements when it suits their interests,” accusing both the PPP and APNU of misleading Guyanese for decades about being political adversaries.

Amid these developments, WIN councillors in Region 4 submitted blank ballots during their chairmanship election in protest, signalling their refusal to participate in what the party termed “political gamesmanship and betrayal.”

Party Leader Azruddin Mohamed publicly praised WIN’s 62 councillors for standing firm in the face of alleged bribery attempts, some reportedly amounting to millions of dollars.

“Today, you have exemplified honesty, a quality lacking in our political sphere,” Mohamed said. “It is your mandate to represent the people first.”

He added that WIN will not be compromised or bought, and reaffirmed the party’s commitment to transparency, integrity, and the people of Guyana.

“The Guyanese people were fooled into believing that the PPP and the PNC were enemies. They have been lying to the people. Now that they have a chance to defeat the PPP, they are joining with them to stifle WIN. WIN wants to assure all Guyanese that we will not be compromised and we will not be bought. We will continue to represent the people of our country,” the statement said.

WIN maintains that its movement will continue to stand with, fight for, and represent the voices of ordinary Guyanese, vowing to build a nation “free from political deceit and grounded in honesty and service.”