Guyana’s Ruling PPP Secures Dominant Lead in General Election; New Opposition Party Emerges as Challenger

Guyana’s ruling People’s Progressive Party (PPP) has secured a decisive victory in the country’s general election, winning more than twice as many votes as its nearest rival and paving the way for President Irfaan Ali to serve another term.

Preliminary results released by the electoral commission showed the PPP winning 242,451 votes across the nation’s 10 districts, with majorities in eight of them. While the commission has not yet confirmed the allocation of seats in the 65-member National Assembly, the figures strongly indicate that the PPP will expand its parliamentary majority compared with the 2020 elections.

Vice President and PPP General Secretary Bharrat Jagdeo told local media on Tuesday, “The PPP will go into the National Assembly with a bigger majority than it did in 2020. That’s very clear from the trend you’re seeing.”

In a political upset, the newly formed We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) party, launched just three months ago by businessman Azruddin Mohamed, finished second with 109,015 votes and secured majorities in two districts. The long-established opposition coalition A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) trailed in third with 77,973 votes nationwide.

The campaign was dominated by debates over how to manage the country’s rapidly growing oil wealth. Since ExxonMobil began offshore production in late 2019, Guyana, a nation of 800,000 people, has earned approximately $7.5 billion in oil revenues, making it one of the world’s fastest-growing economies. The Ali administration has directed much of this income toward infrastructure projects, education, and healthcare, including free tuition at the state university. Opposition parties, however, have accused the government of favoring groups aligned with the PPP — allegations the ruling party denies.

Mohamed, who was sanctioned by the United States last year over alleged tax fraud and bribery — accusations he denies — has built grassroots support through philanthropy, particularly among poor and Indigenous communities. Speaking on Wednesday, he hailed WIN’s strong showing as a political breakthrough but alleged voting irregularities, claiming the PPP misused government resources for campaigning. WIN has requested recounts in several districts.

APNU leaders have also expressed doubts over results in their traditional strongholds and called for recounts in three districts. However, election observers from the Organization of American States and the Commonwealth reported no significant evidence of fraud.

Voter turnout was down by about 37,000 compared with 2020, but the PPP appears to have increased its share of the vote. Analysts say the results signal a reshaping of Guyana’s opposition landscape, with WIN drawing significant support away from APNU.