With Azzrudin Mohamed facing serious legal challenges in the United States, senior officials within the We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) party have begun quietly weighing a contingency plan that could see Tabitha Sarabo-Halley take the reins as Leader of the Opposition.
In the September 1, 2025, General and Regional Elections, WIN secured 16 seats — the second-highest total in the National Assembly, positioning Mohamed to become the next Leader of the Opposition.
However, his future is now clouded by an 11-count indictment unsealed last week in the Southern District of Florida, charging him with wire fraud, mail fraud, money laundering, and conspiracy in connection to an alleged multi-million-dollar gold export and tax evasion scheme. The charges carry prison sentences of up to 20 years per count.
While Mohamed has denied the allegations — calling them “politically motivated and baseless” — and vowed to fight extradition, top party officials are preparing for the possibility that he may be unable to assume or retain the leadership role.
A senior WIN official, speaking to NewsHub on condition of anonymity, confirmed that post-election discussions are underway to plan for a potential succession scenario.
“The situation is delicate, but we have to think about continuity,” the source said. “There’s a real possibility that Azzrudin could be unable to take up the position in Parliament, and the party needs to be ready.”
According to the insider, while a few names have been floated — including respected party figure Pandit Vishnu Panday — it is Tabitha Sarabo-Halley, WIN’s Prime Ministerial Candidate in the 2025 elections, who has emerged as the clear front-runner.
“Tabitha is widely respected across the party,” the source explained. “She’s articulate, principled, and has both grassroots and national appeal. People see her as a stabilizing figure in a potentially volatile moment.”
Still, the final decision on who would step in — either temporarily or permanently — is expected to rest with Hana Mohamed, Azzrudin’s sister and widely acknowledged as the party’s most influential strategist.
“Nothing major happens in WIN without Hana’s approval,” the insider added. “She manages the message, the strategy, and the structure. She’ll have the final word if a leadership shift becomes necessary.”
The indictment alleges that Mohamed played a key role in a scheme that defrauded both the Guyanese and U.S. governments through underreported gold exports and false tax filings. While no formal extradition request has yet been announced, U.S. authorities have signaled their intent to pursue prosecution aggressively.
For now, Mohamed remains defiant, releasing a statement over the weekend vowing to “stand firm against outside interference” and maintain his leadership.
But within WIN’s inner circle, plans are quietly taking shape for what many now view as an increasingly plausible outcome: that Mohamed may be forced to step aside — at least temporarily — and that Sarabo-Halley is best positioned to lead the opposition through the crisis.