By Henry Umoru
ABUJA — Speaker of Australia’s House of Representatives, Milton Dick, has been elected President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Assembly for the 2026–2029 term.
Dick secured 182 votes, representing 56 per cent of the total votes cast, to defeat two other candidates in the election held in Arusha on Friday.
Speaker of Azerbaijan’s Milli Majlis, Sahiba Gafarova, polled 124 votes, representing 38 per cent, while Chilean Senator Rojo Edwards Silva received 21 votes, or six per cent.
Announcing the results, the outgoing IPU leader, Dr Tulia Ackson, declared Dick the winner of the election.
“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,” Ackson said.
Dick had visited Abuja last week to consult with Nigeria’s parliament and seek support for his candidacy.
The President of the Nigerian Senate and an executive member of the IPU, Godswill Akpabio, had assured him of Nigeria’s support and pledged to mobilise backing from the IPU’s Africa Group.
Before his election, Dick called for inclusive leadership within the international parliamentary body, stressing the need to consider the interests of countries and parliaments with limited influence in international discussions.
His election places him at the helm of the IPU Assembly for the three-year term, from 2026 to 2029.
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