AFC’s scaled-back coalition proposal rejected by APNU

In what appears to be a last-ditch effort to salvage a political partnership, the Alliance For Change (AFC) submitted a drastically scaled-back coalition proposal to A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) on Tuesday — only to have it rejected shortly after.

The proposal, seen by News Room and confirmed by sources within the AFC, marked a significant retreat by the party, which has been grappling with a wave of defections and declining influence under new leader Nigel Hughes. Once demanding parity in coalition arrangements, the AFC now offered to settle for just 35% of political representation — a far cry from its former power-sharing demand.

Despite this concession and what one AFC insider described as “a genuine attempt to respond to public calls for a unified opposition,” APNU, led by Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton, declined the offer. According to the AFC, APNU took particular issue with the AFC’s continued insistence on naming the Prime Ministerial candidate — a position APNU now wants control over.

The AFC’s revised coalition proposal included several key terms: the Presidential Candidate would be nominated by APNU, while the Prime Ministerial Candidate would be nominated by the AFC, subject to APNU’s approval; a seat-sharing ratio of 65% to APNU and 35% to the AFC; the Representative of the List would be an independent nominee agreed upon by both parties; the Speaker of the National Assembly would be nominated by the AFC but acceptable to APNU; all Ministerial and Junior Ministerial appointments would require mutual approval; and a new National Planning Commission or Ministry would be established, with a particular focus on transportation infrastructure.

The AFC’s leadership considered the proposal “a balanced and fair offer,” especially given the APNU’s dominant presence on the ground. However, the party believes APNU’s rejection confirms a longstanding suspicion: that the PNCR-led bloc has no interest in reviving the coalition.

In a statement issued Wednesday, the AFC said, “This last proposal gave APNU all they have been asking for to agree to a coalition… It is now clear the APNU was and is not interested in a coalition.”

The rejection comes amid internal instability within the AFC. Juretha Fernandes, a former executive and parliamentary representative, has already defected and is now positioning herself as a potential Prime Ministerial candidate for APNU. Sherod Duncan and Ricky Ramsaroop have also exited, aligning themselves with APNU and set to contest elections on its ticket.

The 2025 General and Regional Elections are scheduled for September 1, and the political landscape continues to shift rapidly.