Forward Guyana Movement (FGM) Leader and Member of Parliament Amanza Walton-Desir has called on all opposition MPs to uphold Guyana’s Constitution as the country prepares to elect a Leader of the Opposition. FGM holds one seat in the 29-seat opposition bloc in the 65-member National Assembly, while We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) has 16 seats and A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) holds 12. The governing People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) controls 33 seats.
The announcement of the election comes after much public pressure and a protest staged by WIN on Tuesday night. Speaker of the National Assembly, Manzoor Nadir, announced that the election for the Leader of the Opposition will be held on Monday, January 26 at 10:00 a.m., ahead of the reading of the 2026 National Budget later that day.
In a detailed social media statement, Walton-Desir described the upcoming vote as a matter of constitutional principle rather than personal or partisan politics. “Guyana’s democracy does not depend on who feels comfortable with an outcome. It depends on whether we respect the Constitution even when outcomes are politically uncomfortable,” she wrote. She stressed that the Leader of the Opposition is a structural pillar of Guyana’s constitutional system, and failing to recognise a lawfully elected leader compromises the Government itself.
Her remarks follow comments by Attorney General Anil Nandlall, who has publicly expressed the
PPP/C’s opposition to the likely election of WIN Leader Azruddin Mohamed as Opposition Leader, given that Mohamed faces U.S. sanctions and extradition proceedings. Nandlall stated that elevating a sanctioned and indicted individual would be making history for all the “wrong reasons” and warned that those who support Mohamed “will be judged”. He described the situation as a potential discredit to Guyana’s parliamentary system, Constitution, and the wider Caribbean.
Despite these concerns, Walton-Desir emphasised that the Leader of the Opposition does not exercise executive power or control state resources. “The claim that the Leader of the Opposition is an ‘alternative president’ is constitutionally incorrect and misleading… The role exists to scrutinise, to balance, and to safeguard democratic accountability, not to rival the presidency,” she said. She also reinforced that the principle of innocence until proven guilty applies equally to all political actors, noting that selective application undermines the rule of law.
WIN Leader Azruddin Mohamed, whose party holds the majority of opposition seats and is widely seen as the presumptive Leader of the Opposition, is expected to be elected when opposition MPs convene. FGM and other opposition parties continue to urge adherence to constitutional procedures and parliamentary independence.
“This moment will be remembered not for those who benefited politically, but for those who defended constitutional principle… The Constitution is not a tool to be invoked selectively. It is a safeguard against abuse and the final restraint on the exercise of power,” Walton-Desir added.
