Akpabio’s Support Boosts Australia’s Milton Dick to IPU Presidency

Australia’s House of Representatives Speaker, Milton Dick, has been elected President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Assembly for the 2026–2029 term after defeating candidates from Azerbaijan and Chile in an election held in Arusha, Tanzania.

Dick secured 182 votes to emerge victorious, while Azerbaijan’s Milli Majlis Speaker, Sahiba Gafarova, received 124 votes and Chilean Senator Rojo Edwards Silva garnered 21 votes.

The result was announced on Friday by the outgoing IPU President, Tulia Ackson, who formally declared Dick the winner of the three-year leadership contest.

“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 announced.

Dick’s election followed consultations with Nigeria’s National Assembly during a visit to Abuja last week, when he sought the support of Nigerian lawmakers for his candidacy.

President of the Nigerian Senate, Godswill Akpabio, who is also an executive member of the IPU, had assured the Australian parliamentarian of Nigeria’s support and pledged to mobilise other members of the African Group within the organisation to back his candidature.

The Nigerian parliament’s support formed part of Dick’s engagement with national legislatures ahead of the election.

Before the vote, the Australian speaker called for inclusive leadership that would ensure that countries and parliaments with limited influence in international affairs were not sidelined in global discussions.

He emphasised the need for an approach that recognises the diversity of parliamentary institutions and provides opportunities for all members to contribute to international deliberations.

The IPU, a global organisation of national parliaments, promotes parliamentary diplomacy, democratic governance, peace and cooperation among legislatures.

Dick’s election marks the beginning of his tenure as the organisation’s president for the 2026–2029 period.