The election of the Opposition Leader will take place on Monday, January 26, 2026, after Speaker of the National Assembly Manzoor Nadir instructed the Clerk of the National Assembly to convene a meeting of all non‑government Members of Parliament (MPs).
The announcement came during an address on Tuesday evening, where Nadir defended his stewardship of the House and launched a blistering response to what he described as “vile aspersions” and “nasty attacks” from Azzrudin Mohamed, whom he repeatedly labelled an “international fugitive” and his supporters.
Nadir, who has served more than 45 years in public life, said he had never experienced such personal attacks, “not even in the dark days of the PNC.” He accused Mohamed and other opposition MPs of spreading lies, harassing parliamentary staff, and staging protests outside his Eccles home that he said violated his family’s privacy and safety.
He stressed that neither he nor any member of his family has ever been sanctioned or indicted by any U.S. court, countering claims circulating in sections of the media and opposition circles.
“I am not sanctioned. I am not indicted. I am not a fugitive,” he declared, adding that unlike Mohamed, he has faced investigations when required and “answered the charges.”
Responding to diplomats and media commentators who suggested Parliament has been inactive, Nadir dismissed the claims as “false” and “outright absurdity.”
He said the 13th Parliament has processed more than 90 questions and five motions since its November 3, 2025, convening.
Nadir also pushed back at calls from some diplomats for a faster election of the Opposition Leader, questioning whether similar standards apply in their own countries. He referenced the U.S. political system and Canada’s delayed budget process, arguing that Guyana’s democracy remains robust and evolving.
The Speaker credited successive People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) governments for strengthening democratic institutions, noting that the parliamentary committee system has expanded significantly and now outshines those of most Commonwealth Caribbean countries.
He said the establishment of the Rights Commissions, the Integrity Commission, the Public Procurement Commission, the Local Government Commission, the Ethnic Relations Commission, and the growth of the private media all represent unprecedented advances in Guyana’s democratic development.
According to Nadir, these reforms safeguard freedom of expression and freedom of association.
Nadir read from a recent congratulatory message by Inter‑Parliamentary Union Secretary‑General Martin Chungong, who praised his leadership and Guyana’s role in global parliamentary diplomacy.
The Speaker said he had intended to call the Opposition Leader to an election upon returning from the Commonwealth Speakers’ Conference in New Delhi, regardless of the outcome.
Nadir said he faces a “difficult position” presiding over an election in which the presumptive candidate, Mohamed, is, in his words, “an international fugitive.”
He compared the situation to those of controversial political figures worldwide, including Pablo Escobar’s brief stint as a Colombian MP and the current scandal involving Singapore’s opposition leader.
“If opposition members feel it morally right to elect an international fugitive, then the stain on our Parliament rests solely with them,” he said.
The Speaker formally instructed the Clerk to convene the meeting for 10 a.m. on Monday. He urged MPs to act with dignity and to consider the country’s reputation.
“I pray and trust that those involved will be guided by the sanctity of the responsibility entrusted to them by the electorate,” he concluded.
