The United Republican Party’s Presidential Candidate, Dr Vishnu Bandhu, has been given the green light by The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) to lead his party in the upcoming March 2 elections as its Presidential candidate.
GECOM, in a letter to the URP Presidential Candidate, advised him that his name will remain on the party’s list of candidates.
The party’s Presidential Candidate has been resolute that his timing in relinquishing his allegiance to the United States of America (USA) was done within the legal framework under the constitution of Guyana.
The Statutory Declaration form signed by Dr. Bandhu confirms that he is aware of the provisions of articles 53 and 155 of the Constitution with respect to the qualifications for election as a Member of the National Assembly.
Article 155 of the Constitution states: “(1) No person shall be qualified for election as a member of the National Assembly who – (a) is, by virtue of his or her own act, under any acknowledgement of allegiance, obedience or adherence to a foreign power or state.”
According to Bandhu, the media has misled the electorate when they reported that he was disqualified and his name would be removed from the list.
GECOM had issued a definitive statement on February 5, 2020, which stated categorically that Dr. Bandhu will remain a candidate on the URP list. The party believes that the electorate needs an alternative to the two major political parties that have led the country for the past five decades.
