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WIN threatens legal action over non-election of Opposition Leader
(Kaieteur News) – The We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) party, led by businessman Azruddin Mohamed, is threatening to sue Speaker of the National Assembly Manzoor Nadir for failing to convene a meeting of the opposition members of parliament for the election of the Leader of the Opposition.
Speaker of the National Assembly, Manzoor Nadir.
In a letter dated November 17, 2025, WIN’s attorney Siand Dhurjon said that the 16 non-governmental members of parliament which include Azruddin Mohamed, Natasha Singh-Lewis, Tabitha Sarabo-Halley, Dawn Hastings-Williams, Odessa Primus, Duarte Hetsberger, Tonshana Famey-Corlette, Vishnu Panday, Beverley Cornelius, Gobin Harbhajan, Deon La Cruz, Nandranie Singh, Dr. Gordon Barker, Janelle Sweatnam, Dr. Ryan Richards and Dr. Andre Lewis, called on the Speaker to convene the meeting within 14 days. Failure to do so, will result in the institution of proceedings in the Supreme Court.
“On behalf of my clients, I do hereby require that you take all steps necessary to convene a meeting among the non-governmental members of the National Assembly for the purpose of electing the Leader of the Opposition under Article 184(1) of the Constitution within fourteen (14) days failing which I shall institute proceedings in the Supreme Court to compel you to act accordingly and to seek all other reliefs necessary to vindicate my clients’ interests,” Dhurjon said in the letter which was received and stamped by the Speaker’s secretariat.
The attorney detailed that at the first sitting of the 13th Session of the National Assembly on November 3, 2025, the Speaker was handed a letter by several of his clients after they were sworn-in as Members of Parliament to convene a meeting on the same day to elect the Leader of the Opposition.
“I am instructed that you then responded verbally to Ms. Natasha Singh-Lewis, MP that you would not be convening such a meeting on that day and you ambiguously stated, ‘it doesn’t have to be until the next sitting’,” Dhurjon relayed.
The attorney noted that there was no impediment preventing him from convening the meeting on November 3, since all of the non-governmental Members of Parliament were present at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre.
Further, the lawyer said that an email was subsequently sent by Ms. Singh-Lewis, MP seeking an update on when the meeting would be convened, to which there was no response.
Dhurjon reminded the Speaker in his letter that the Leader of the Opposition is a most important constitutional officeholder in whom is reposed numerous significant responsibilities under law.
“It is inconceivable that the Constitution could have ever contemplated that your unqualified and mandatory obligation under Article 184(1) of the Constitution could be unduly delayed to some uncertain time in the unknown future,” the attorney posited.
He called on the Speaker to act with alacrity to have the Leader of the opposition elected noting that his clients are prepared and willing to meet at the earliest opportunity to facilitate the election.
The lawyer’s letter which was sent to the Speaker of the National Assembly by the WIN MPs on November 17.
Attempts to contact Speaker Nadir on Tuesday proved futile as calls to his mobile device went unanswered. Contact was made with Clerk of the National Assembly Sherlock Isaacs, who indicated briefly that he was at a meeting and could not speak.
Following the convening of parliament earlier this month, Isaacs explained that while the constitution outlines the process for electing the opposition leader, it does not specify when the meeting must be held.
“The constitution doesn’t say when the meeting is to be held, if it’s at the first sitting or the second sitting or third sitting; it’s at the discretion of the speaker,” Isaacs told reporters.
WIN in a statement following the convening of parliament expressed concern that the Speaker’s silence calls into question the impartiality of the parliamentary process. “This unexplained silence stands in contrast to the Speaker’s public oath to execute the functions of his office ‘without fear or favour, affection or ill will,’ and raises legitimate concerns regarding the impartial administration of parliamentary processes,” the party said.
The party said that while the President was swiftly sworn in following the elections, the same urgency should have been applied to the election of the Opposition Leader.
As such, the WIN party further accused the administration of deliberately stalling the process. “The Leader of the Opposition is not symbolic; the Constitution requires that the holder of this office be consulted on major appointments, including the Police Commissioner, Chancellor, Chief Justice, and members of the Judicial Service Commission. Delaying this office undermines the balance of power and signals a disregard for constitutional governance,” the statement added.
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I didn’t know and now seem to realize, the National Assembly where the
Nations future is “voted” on, has stooges who must be following orders
from elsewhere.
Is that what is taking place there ? It does not look good for Pres.Ali and Jagdeo.
Certain people taken up their positions while Opposition Party members
languished in eternity, without their Leader deliberately sidestepped by the
Speaker, Manzoor Nadir ?