In a significant political development, three election commissioners aligned with the A Partnership for National Unity/People’s National Congress Reform (APNU/PNCR) have formally declined Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed’s request to discuss their potential resignation from the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM). Commissioners Vincent Alexander, Charles Corbin, and Desmond Trotman conveyed their position through a joint letter dated January 31, 2026, indicating their willingness to engage on other electoral matters while explicitly excluding discussions about their status from the agenda.
The commissioners acknowledged Mohamed’s role as Opposition Leader but firmly stated that their positions remain “a sine qua non subject to legislative or judicial intervention,” effectively rejecting calls for their voluntary departure. This response comes amid public statements from Mohamed’s We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) party, which has argued that GECOM’s composition should reflect the current configuration of the National Assembly, where WIN holds 16 seats compared to APNU’s 12.
The political standoff highlights deeper tensions within Guyana’s electoral governance framework. PNCR-APNU Leader Aubrey Norton criticized Mohamed’s approach, suggesting that proper protocol would involve consulting with his party first regarding any potential commissioner changes. Norton further asserted that GECOM appointments are permanent unless modified through legislative processes.
Adding complexity to the situation, Norton and APNU parliamentary leader Dr. Terrence Campbell have accused Mohamed of overlooking what they perceive as biased voting patterns by GECOM Chairman Retired Justice Claudette Singh, who they claim consistently sides with ruling party-nominated commissioners. The controversy unfolds against the backdrop of ongoing debates about electoral reforms, particularly regarding the implementation of digitalized biometric systems for voter registration and verification—a measure that Chairman Singh has cautioned must balance technological advancement with constitutional compliance.