National Assembly Speaker Manzoor Nadir said Sunday he will proceed with convening the election of Guyana’s Leader of the Opposition later this month, while publicly raising concerns that the presumptive nominee, businessman Azruddin Mohamed, is the subject of U.S. sanctions and criminal indictments—an assertion he said presents an unprecedented dilemma for Guyana’s Parliament and the wider Commonwealth Caribbean.
In a lengthy public statement, Nadir rejected what he described as “vile aspersions” and intimidation directed at him by Mohamed and his supporters, and defended his handling of parliamentary business amid criticism from sections of the opposition, the media and members of the diplomatic community.
Mohamed, who has emerged as the opposition’s presumptive choice for the post, has been sanctioned by the United States and faces criminal indictments there, according to U.S. authorities. Mohamed has denied wrongdoing and has not been convicted in a court of law.
Nadir said the prospect of electing an opposition leader under such circumstances is without precedent in Guyana’s Westminster system and across the Commonwealth Caribbean.
“I have found myself in this difficult position of holding the election of the Leader of the Opposition when I know that the presumptive Leader of the Opposition… is an international fugitive,” Nadir said, stressing that while the presumption of innocence applies, individuals facing charges should submit themselves to the jurisdiction of the courts.
The Speaker said he has nonetheless instructed the Clerk of the National Assembly to convene a meeting of all non-government Members of Parliament at 10 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 26, 2026, to proceed with the election.
“If opposition members of Parliament feel it morally right to elect” such a candidate, Nadir said, “then the stain on our Parliament and our country rests solely with them.”
Nadir also pushed back against claims that Parliament has been deliberately inactive, calling such assertions “false and outright absurdities.” He said that since the 13th Parliament convened on Nov. 3, more than 90 questions and five motions have been received, processed and communicated to opposition members.
Responding to calls from diplomats for a speedy election of an opposition leader, Nadir questioned what he described as selective standards, citing examples from other democracies where political processes have taken extended periods or where leaders have assumed office without direct election to Parliament.
He acknowledged the historic role of the diplomatic community in supporting Guyana’s democracy, while crediting successive People’s Progressive Party/Civic governments with strengthening constitutional institutions, including the expansion of parliamentary committees, the establishment of constitutional commissions and the growth of private media.
The Speaker said recent attacks against him—including allegations of corruption—have been particularly distressing, drawing parallels with political violence during earlier periods of Guyana’s history. He denied any wrongdoing, stating that neither he nor his family has been sanctioned or indicted by U.S. authorities or any court.
Nadir also alleged that Mohamed and his supporters have engaged in protests and surveillance outside his home, which he said violated his constitutional right to privacy and safety.
Defending his tenure, Nadir cited recent commendation from Inter-Parliamentary Union Secretary-General Martin Chungong, who praised his role in international parliamentary diplomacy and Guyana’s engagement within the global body.
Nadir said he would not be intimidated and reiterated his intention to uphold the Constitution and the dignity of the National Assembly “without fear or favour.”
“I am not going to be intimidated by any backyard or front-yard bully,” he said, adding that his upbringing and decades of public service have strengthened his resolve.
The upcoming vote, he said, will test not only the opposition but the moral standing of Parliament itself.