Australian lawmaker, Dick, elected President of the IPU Assembly
BY STEPHEN GBADAMOSI
Speaker of Australia’s House of Representatives, Mr. Milton Dick, has been elected as the President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Assembly for the 2026 – 2029 term.
Mr. Dick was in Abuja last week to consult with the Nigerian parliament and sought their support.
A statement by media aide, Jackson Udom, on Friday, recounted that the Chairman of the National Assembly of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and an Executive Member of the IPU, Godswill Akpabio, had assured him of the support of Nigeria and to mobilise the support of the Africa Group of the IPU to support him.
Announcing the results in Arusha on Friday, the outgoing IPU leader, Dr. Tulia Ackson, said Milton Dick secured 56 per cent of the total votes. His fellow candidates, Ms Sahiba Gafarova (Speaker of the Milli Majlis, Azerbaijan) and Mr. Rojo Edwards Silva (Senator, Chile), received 38 per cent and six per cent of the votes respectively.
Dr. Tulia stated that Gafarova got 124 votes, while Mr. Dick collected 182 votes and Mr. Silver received 21 votes.
“So dear colleagues, let me now announce the winner please. Allow me to announce the winner please. The winner of the election of a President for the term 2026 to 2029 is Mr. Milton Dick, the Speaker of the House of Representatives of Australia,” she announced.
Prior to his election, Dick said there was the need for inclusive leadership that took account of countries and parliaments that might have limited influence in international discussions.
