AFC was ready to accept Norton as presidential candidate with conditions – Hughes

-door remains open for further talks

AFC Leader Nigel Hughes yesterday said that the party had been prepared to accept Opposition Leader, Aubrey Norton as the presidential candidate of a coalition with conditions but this had been rejected by the PNCR.

At a press conference, he confirmed that his party had accepted Norton as the presidential candidate for a possible APNU+AFC coalition but with conditions attached. Those conditions, he said, were rejected. “The AFC accepted APNU’s nominee for presidential candidate, a major step forward for compromise,” Hughes said. “One of the proposals we did make included Norton in that position, and that proposal with the conditions was not accepted.”

Reports have indicated that the AFC’s conditions included a more balanced share of Cabinet posts in any future government, with the AFC seeking at least equal control of ministerial portfolios. However, APNU reportedly held firm to a 70/30 division, in which the AFC would receive the smaller portion.