Opposition MPs to meet on January 26 to elect leader

Opposition Members of Parliament are expected to convene on Monday, January 26, to select Guyana’s next Leader of the Opposition, following an announcement by Speaker of the National Assembly Manzoor Nadir on Tuesday night.

In a televised address aired on the National Communications Network (NCN), Speaker Nadir said the Clerk of the National Assembly has been directed to arrange the meeting ahead of the presentation of the National Budget.

The move advances the completion of the institutional framework of the 13th Parliament, which was formally convened with the swearing in of 65 Members of Parliament on November 3, 2025, following the September 1, 2025, General Elections.

Speaker Nadir noted that his absence from the country on official engagements contributed to the delay, adding that he returned to Guyana earlier this week.

Speaker Nadir noted with dismay that earlier on Tuesday, representatives of the We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) party, including its leader Azruddin Mohamed, visited the Parliament Office seeking an engagement with him.

When the meeting did not take place, Mohamed and WIN members staged a public demonstration outside the Speaker’s residence.

Of the 65 MPs, 36 represent the governing Peoples Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C). Among the Parliamentary Opposition, 16 represent the We Invest in Nationhood (WIN), 12 represent the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), and one represents the Forward Guyana Movement (FGM).

The parliamentary opposition will meet on Monday at 10:00 hours to appoint an Opposition Leader, a position that is constitutionally mandated.