Mohamed leads protest outside Parliament

Nov 25, 2025 News

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(Kaieteur News) – Leader of the We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) party Azruddin Mohamed has called out the government for what he alleges as the trampling on the rights of the Guyanese people.

In a short protest outside Parliament Buildings on Monday surrounded by his supporters, he was asked by the media what was the significance of it.

The businessman turned politician said that the government is “undermining democracy in this country. The Speaker, (Manzoor Nadir) he has to convene the meeting to elect opposition leader…What is taking him so long? 109,000 persons voted for me that’s what they said, that’s the figure they gave me, because I know more than that voted for me and they are trampling on the rights of the will of the people.”

Siand Dhurjon one of the lawyers on Mohamed’s team told the media that the 14 days for the letter dispatched to the Speaker of the National Assembly Mansoor Nadir will expire on Monday. “We’re drafting proceedings already. We don’t expect him to do anything sensible. We’re going to be prepared to serve him soon. Well, he has an obligation to facilitate the election of the Leader of Opposition,” he added.

Dhurjon clarified that the party is not saying that the election has to happen during a sitting, but rather during a specifically convened meeting of non-governmental of the National Assembly. “…it should be done as soon as possible. The very constitution contemplates that it be done as soon as possible. There are duties and obligations of the leader of the opposition which are indispensable to our democracy that the leader of Opposition has to do, which is as a result of the speaker’s inaction, he is deprived the ability to do those things, such as consultation or a brief consultation about a Commissioner of Police. Right before a Commissioner of Police is appointed, you have to consult with Leader of Opposition before a Chancellor or a Chief Justice can be confirmed or substantively appointed, the leader of the opposition has to agree therewith,” the attorney explained.

General Secretary of the party Odessa Primus told reporters that there has been no information as to when Parliament will be meeting and looking at the elections of the opposition leader. “And for the best, to the best of our knowledge, there’s nothing that is preventing this elections outside of the government’s victimisation in terms of the election leader of the opposition, and of course, as many of you would know, the Leader of the Opposition forms part of the government, and so what we are doing right now is functioning basically as a dictatorship, because whatever the government says goes, whatever the government does goes and this is not how things work,” Primus added.

She reminded that there were instances in the past where the ruling party professed that they are standing up for democracy. “However, today they are the ones who are ensuring that the democrats the democratic process does not take place, and we are in an unfortunate state, and at this point, we would like to call on all of Guyana, whether or not you supported us in these elections. This is about the democracy of our country, and so we all need to stand up and we all need to ensure that the Leader of the Opposition is elected.”

A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) last Friday said that the non-election of the Leader of the Opposition will result in the aiding and abetting of the government’s “undemocratic practices.” APNU’s Member of Parliament Ganesh Mahipaul maintained that the We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) is in its right to demand that the election of the post of opposition leader be done with alacrity. Mahipaul made it clear that the post cannot be left vacant. “If we allow that to happen then it means we are aiding and abetting with the PPP to advance in undemocratic practices and the APNU is not about that. It’s a constitutional office and it has to be filled. The action is within the hands of the Speaker and he has to know why he is behaving like this and why he’s acting like that,” Mahipaul stressed.

Last week WIN threatened to sue the Speaker for failing to convene a meeting of the opposition members of parliament for the election of the Leader of the Opposition.

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.

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• Azruddin Mohamed, Government, Manzoor Nadir, Opposition Leader, trampling, win

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