The political rivalry between Aubrey Norton, leader of the People’s National Congress (PNC), and Nigel Hughes, leader of the Alliance for Change (AFC), has escalated into an all-out war. However, this conflict is not about who will lead Guyana into the future but who will dominate the Afro-Guyanese political space.
It’s a bitter irony. Both men are engaged in a tug-of-war for a community representing only 29.3% of the population (according to the most recent census). In a multiethnic country like Guyana, where East Indians (Indo-Guyanese) make up the largest ethnic group—about 39.8%—neither Hughes nor Norton can attain national power solely on Afro-Guyanese support. Yet their political strategies appear unaware of this reality.
Nigel Hughes seems to be doubling down on race-based politics, attempting to position himself as the voice of the Afro-Guyanese community. His recent speeches, including the highly controversial one at the Linden funeral, clearly appeal to ethnic sentiment. This is not about national leadership but about replacing Norton as the perceived leader of the Afro-Guyanese community.
Ironically, Hughes originally set out to hijack the PNC’s voter base, but Norton has outflanked him by hijacking Hughes’ momentum instead. Hughes is now attempting to regain credibility by playing the race card, but it’s ineffective across the board. Many middle-class Afro-Guyanese, particularly the younger urban demographic, are disillusioned with the PNC’s old-guard politics and do not align with Hughes. Some are even shifting toward a more issue-based approach, finding hope in newer movements or quietly joining the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), which currently governs.
Hughes’ strategy is transparent: anchor his campaign in Afro-Guyanese issues and sentiment, carve out a sufficient following to remain relevant, and prove that he, not Norton, has the passion, the fire, and the will to lead the Afro-Guyanese community.
Aubrey Norton showed his true colours and decisively ended Nigel Hughes’s attempt to hijack the PNC. It has become clear that the PNC leadership is not interested in backing Hughes as their prospective presidential candidate. Norton has firmly demonstrated that he will not allow anyone, least of all Hughes, to divide the party.
Hughes is now fighting a losing battle. He lacks a loyal voter base, and without strong, lifelong supporters across the country, his only hope lies in appealing to the 29.3% Afro-Guyanese population. However, even that strategy is faltering. Norton has made it clear: he will not tolerate any more political antics or disruptions from Hughes.
The battle lines are drawn, and the rift is undeniable. However, Norton must remain vigilant. Hughes may still attempt to undermine him by targeting Afro-Guyanese communities and questioning Norton’s credibility as their rightful leader. Norton must stay ahead of the game to ensure the unity and strength of the PNC remain intact.
Nigel Hughes understands a hard truth—his chances of breaking into the Indo-Guyanese voting bloc are virtually nonexistent. His political survival hinges on consolidating support within the Afro-Guyanese community, where messages rooted in identity and historical grievance still resonate deeply. With the Alliance for Change (AFC) opting to contest the next election independently, Hughes finds himself with no choice but to vie for the same political turf traditionally dominated by the People’s National Congress (PNC).
Hughes’ problem is clear: where is his actual vote bank? If challenged, could he demonstrate significant national support beyond race-based rhetoric? His appeal seems limited. Many observers believe he wouldn’t attract more than 3,000 votes nationwide in an election. His reliance on racial narratives has started to resemble the PNC’s playbook—something that has become more of a punchline than a political strategy in today’s Guyana.
There is growing concern, particularly among the Guyanese diaspora, that the internal opposition conflict could revert the country to the divisive, destabilizing politics of the past. Some fear a return to the Burnham era, marked by authoritarianism, election rigging, and economic stagnation. However, those days are gone—the world is watching now. The international community has invested too much in Guyana’s oil-fueled growth and democratic progress to tolerate any regression into electoral fraud or political violence.
It is crucial to recognize that this Hughes-Norton rivalry is not rooted in policy, vision, or genuine commitment to national development. Instead, it represents a struggle for symbolic supremacy within a diminishing ethnic silo. Neither man has proposed a credible plan to improve living standards, address inequality, or unite the country.
Guyana stands at a historic crossroads. The oil economy is booming, and the country is becoming a regional leader in energy and development. It needs leaders who rise above ethnic divisions and invest in the prosperity of all Guyanese, not just those who share their ethnicity.
It’s time to stop using the race card. It’s no longer a ticket to power—it’s a relic of a bygone era. The more these political actors cling to it, the more they reveal their irrelevance in a rapidly evolving Guyanese society.
Suppose Hughes and Norton genuinely care about the individuals they claim to represent. In that case, they should stop competing along ethnic lines and engage in meaningful dialogue about policies, employment, education, healthcare, and national unity. The Afro-Guyanese community, like all others, deserves to be valued beyond merely being a pawn in a political chess game.
Meanwhile, the PPP has diversified its base and embraced a multi-ethnic development agenda. Under President Irfaan Ali, Mr. Mark Phillips, and Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, the PPP has created opportunities for all ethnicities and focused on significant infrastructure projects, housing, and economic growth. This inclusive approach has earned them continued support, particularly from Indo-Guyanese communities, mixed-race individuals, Amerindians, Portuguese, and Sino-Guyanese, and increasingly from segments of the Afro-Guyanese population as well.
The battle lines between Aubrey Norton and Nigel Hughes are drawn, and the rift widens daily.
We witness the onset of a political duel: Hughes versus Norton. This duel will significantly influence the future of Guyana’s opposition politics and Afro-Guyanese voters in unprecedented ways.
So why is Hughes, leader of the AFC, leaning so heavily into Afro-centric and PNC-aligned narratives?
The answer is straightforward: his political survival and relevance among the Afro-Guyanese community.
Aubrey Norton has figured it out and single-handedly ruined Nigel Hughes’s political career and his AFC party.