A constitutional dispute over the future composition of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) is intensifying as Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed moves to reshape the opposition’s representation on the country’s elections body, setting the stage for a political confrontation with A Partnership for National Unity (APNU).
The dispute centers on whether the opposition-nominated side of GECOM should continue to be occupied by commissioners selected under a previous political arrangement. Mohamed contends that the three opposition-appointed commissioners currently serving on the Elections Commission were nominated when the People’s National Congress Reform( PNCR) or PNCR-led A Partnership for National Unity and Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) coalition dominated the parliamentary opposition and therefore no longer reflect the composition or electoral mandate of the present Opposition in the 13th Parliament.
Mohamed’s position stems from the dramatic shift in the opposition landscape following the 2025 General and Regional Elections. His We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) party emerged as the largest opposition force in the National Assembly, securing 16 of the 29 seats allocated to the Opposition in the 65-member Parliament. APNU secured 12 seats, while the Forward Guyana Movement (FGM) won one.
The outcome elevated Mohamed to the position of Opposition Leader, replacing PNCR Leader and Chairman of APNU, Aubrey Norton, as the parliamentary leader of the Opposition and fundamentally altering the balance of power on the opposition benches.
Since then, Mohamed has maintained that opposition representation on GECOM should reflect the new political reality. His position is one that has also been reflected in public comments by GECOM Chairperson, retired Justice Claudette Singh, who since the 2025 elections has repeatedly signaled that the changed parliamentary landscape cannot be ignored in determining the composition of the opposition-nominated side of the Commission.
The current opposition-nominated commissioners—Vincent Alexander, Desmond Trotman and Charles Corbin—were nominated by the PNCR or by the APNU+AFC coalition of which it formed part when that alliance constituted the principal opposition force in Parliament. However, the 2025 Elections significantly altered that political landscape. Neither the PNCR nor APNU now commands a majority of the Opposition’s seats in the National Assembly, leading to questions about whether the Commission’s opposition-appointed membership reflects the parliamentary configuration that emerged from the elections.
Last February Mohamed publicly called on Alexander, Corbin and Trotman to resign, arguing that they had been appointed on the advice of a previous Opposition Leader and should “do the honorable thing” by stepping aside.
The call was immediately rejected by Norton, who insisted that there is no constitutional basis for removing commissioners because of a change in parliamentary leadership or political fortunes. Norton argued that the commissioners remain lawfully appointed and can only leave office through resignation or other circumstances provided for by law. Commissioner Vincent Alexander subsequently endorsed Norton’s position, declaring that the APNU leader was correct.
In January 2026, Mohamed met with GECOM Chairperson Claudette Singh and Chief Elections Officer Vishnu Persaud to discuss the issue. Following that meeting, Mohamed disclosed that Singh had informed him that she lacked the authority to remove or replace commissioners.
“The Chair said that is not within her ambit. The Chair said she cannot replace commissioners,” Mohamed said.
Yet Singh’s subsequent public comments suggested that she recognized the significance of the changed political landscape.
In May 2026, the GECOM Chairperson revealed that the Commission was effectively waiting on Mohamed to formalize his plans for opposition representation. She disclosed that Mohamed had visited GECOM earlier in the year and indicated that he already had individuals in mind to serve as opposition commissioners but had not yet submitted names.
“We’re waiting on him,” Singh said.
She also acknowledged that the issue was affecting the Commission’s ability to fully constitute itself and move forward with important decisions, including preparations for Local Government Elections and the filling of key vacancies. Significantly, Singh indicated that she was proceeding cautiously because she did not want decisions made by the Commission to become vulnerable to legal challenges arising from the changed parliamentary configuration.
The issue escalated significantly this month when Mohamed formally wrote Norton and FGM Leader Amanza Walton-Desir seeking consultations on the future composition of GECOM.
In the correspondence, Mohamed argued that the current opposition-appointed commissioners were selected under a parliamentary arrangement that no longer reflects the composition of the Opposition after the 2025 elections. He said he was considering advising President Irfaan Ali to appoint new opposition commissioners and invited the leaders of the other parliamentary opposition parties to submit nominees and participate in consultations.
Norton again pushed back, insisting there are no vacancies on the Commission and therefore no basis for discussions about new appointments.
But Mohamed’s move has already fueled intense interest because of the names reportedly under consideration.
Among those he is considering advising President Ali to appoint are attorneys Roysdale Forde, SC, Siand Dhurjon and Damien Da Silva.
The potential nominations are currently representing Mohamed and his father, Nazar “Shell” Mohamed, in extradition committal proceedings before the Guyana courts. The father and son are being sought by authorities in the United States over allegations of financial crimes linked to their gold trading business. Both men have denied wrongdoing and are contesting the extradition request.
Of the three, Senior Counsel Roysdale Forde’s name is expected to attract the greatest attention.
Forde, who serves as Shadow Attorney General and Shadow Minister of Legal Affairs, is among Guyana’s most prominent constitutional and election law attorneys. During the 12th Parliament, he was a leading parliamentary voice on legal and constitutional affairs and has built a reputation as one of the country’s foremost advocates on electoral governance and reform.
Beyond his courtroom appearances in election-related matters and cases involving GECOM, Forde has written extensively on electoral and constitutional issues and has emerged as one of the leading voices championing an overhaul of Guyana’s current electoral system. He has consistently argued for reforms aimed at strengthening transparency, accountability and public confidence in elections, including the creation of a clean and credible voters list and the implementation of biometric verification measures.
For Mohamed and WIN, the issue centers on democratic representation. They contend that the party holding the majority of opposition seats in Parliament should not be effectively excluded from representation on the country’s elections commission.
Reacting to Norton’s position, Mohamed said, “Let’s hope good sense prevails. I hope that Mr Norton understands that the WIN movement is the main opposition and we must have persons on the commission to represent all parties.”
For Norton and APNU, the dispute is fundamentally about constitutional continuity and the independence of commissioners once appointed.
Meanwhile, the struggle over who speaks for the Opposition at GECOM is rapidly emerging as one of the most consequential constitutional and political disputes in the aftermath of the 2025 elections
