Azruddin Mohamed elected Opposition Leader despite APNU boycott

Last Updated on Monday, 26 January 2026, 20:19 by Writer

The 12-seat A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) on Monday boycotted voting for leader of We Invest in Nationhood (WIN), Azruddin Mohamed to become Guyana’s Leader of the Opposition but that did not affect the outcome as he was elected with his 16-seat majority plus the lone vote by Forward Guyana Movement.

APNU parliamentary leader, Dr Terrence Campbell last Friday had ruled out abstaining from the vote in light of Mr Mohamed’s legal challenges – resulting from being sanctioned by the US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control and indicted by a US Grand Jury for alleged financial crimes – saying that it would affect future WIN-APNU collaboration.

But on Monday, he said once it was clear that there would have been no other nominee for the position of Opposition Leader, he and his 11 other APNU MPs (members of parliament) walked out of the meeting. “There was one nomination for the position of Leader of the Opposition. Nominations were closed and, as we’ve said, there is no need for a vote so we left the Assembly,” he said.

At the same time, he hoped that relations between WIN and APNU would improve. “We look forward to working with WIN and hope that there would be improvement in collaboration between us and WIN going forward. It has not been the best road so far,” he said.

Dr Campbell, a political newcomer, said APNU decided not to nominate anyone, hoping that would signal that APNU is interested in improved relations.

He brushed off subsequent questions on why he and his colleagues walked out of the meeting, maintaining that “there is no need for us to say” after there was one nominee” and “we have (a) budget this afternoon to prepare for.”

Leader of Forward Guyana Movement (FGM), Amanza Walton-Desir, for her part, said APNU’s non-participation in the voting for the Opposition Leader could be seen as an abstention. “It would more than likely be but it would be good for the Clerk to clarify,” she said.

Clerk of the National Assembly Sherlock Isaacs did not immediately reply to a query.

Opposition Leader Mohamed did not dwell on APNU’s walkout, saying “that’s their choice” but he was quick to thank Ms Walton-Desir for her vote.

The APNU parliamentary leader said his party was willing to collaborate with WIN on the implementation of digitalised biometrics for the next general and regional elections due in another five years.

He also deemed a “constitutional issue” whether APNU would be willing to make way for WIN to sit on the seven-member Guyana Elections Commission now that it is the main opposition party.

Ms Walton-Desir said she expected to work with APNU in securing electoral reform in areas such as citizenship reform and voting by Commonwealth nationals in Guyana’s elections. “Irrespective of the political work that’s done, if the electoral machinery remains captured, then the will of the people will always be frustrated and thwarted,” she said.

Minutes after he was elected Opposition Leader, Mr Mohamed also told reporters that the FGM Leader would be included in a number of parliamentary committees.

She did not garner sufficient votes at the general and regional elections to be eligible to sit on parliamentary committees on her party’s own strength.

Mr Mohamed said neither oil sector investors nor the wealthy had nothing to fear by his election as Opposition Leader.

He vowed to tackle alleged corruption by the incumbent People’s Progressive Party Civic administration.

He acknowledged that becoming Opposition Leader does not grant him immunity from extradition to the United States (US) where he is wanted for trial for alleged mail fraud, wire fraud and money laundering linked to his gold trading business.

His father, Nazar “Shell” Mohaned was among hundreds of persons behind police barriers on hand to congratulate him on being elected Leader of the Opposition.

A woman breached the police barrier, handed a Bible to Mr Mohamed, a devout Muslim, and prayed with him.

Other people climbed over the barrier and those short enough pushed their hands through to shake their leader’s hand. Among them were former APNU/People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) and Alliance For Change supporters.

House Speaker Manzoor Nadir called the constitutionally required meeting of opposition MPs to elect an Opposition Leader after major Western Nations publicly called for the completion of the democratic process stemming from last September’s general and regional elections.

However, Mr Nadir and the ruling People’s Progressive Party (PPP) did not hide their reluctance to see Mr Mohamed becoming Opposition Leader because he is wanted by the United States alleged financial crimes.