Nygren: recall petition ‘divisive’ for Nation

By Nicholas House and Krista Allen
Navajo Times

WINDOW ROCK

After a 774-page petition to recall President Buu Nygren was filed at the Navajo Nation Election Office on Monday, the president released a statement on his social media pages thanking his followers for “engaging in the democratic process of holding elected officials accountable.”

“I respect your right to be heard,” the statement reads. “This is our Navajo Nation, and we all have the right to organize, speak up, and hold leadership accountable.”

The president asked to hear from those who signed the petition, which claims he breached his fiduciary duty to the Diné by failing to fulfill his responsibilities and engaging in misconduct. The petition cites frequent turnover among his appointees and allegations of sexual harassment, including those made by Vice President Richelle Montoya.

“What are your concerns? Why did you sign? And more importantly, how can we do better?” the statement reads. “Today, I ask that we reflect on our traditional Navajo ways of ‘k’é’ … and naabik’íyáti … and find a way forward together.”

The statement continues, “Over the past two years, I’ve worked hard for all our Navajo people, including those who did not vote for me. To me, every family and every community matters.

“For the thousands who declined to sign the recall petition, I do not take your decision lightly. Thank you for continuing to have confidence in me. I will continue to serve every one of you with respect and dedication and to ensure your continued confidence.”

On Jan. 10, 2023, Nygren replaced former President Jonathan Nez as president of the Navajo Nation. He promised to focus on meeting the basic needs of the Diné and expressed frustration with the slow progress of tribal government and infrastructure projects. He recognized that significant work remains to be done.

The Recall President Buu Nygren committee is led by Nez-Manuel, the former Division of Human Resources executive director, who began collecting signatures in August 2024, saying the president is “bambuuzling” the Diné.

“Although I respect the process of the recall, I also believe it has been divisive for our Nation,” Nygren’s statement continues. “As we move forward, we must focus on unity and healing. We need to focus on continuing to create change and move toward progress.

“We need to heal and come together to build a stronger future. This requires open hearts, understanding, and the willingness to move beyond the challenges.”

The Navajo Times reached out to the president Monday evening, but he declined an interview.

Nez-Manuel on Tuesday morning said, “First of all, that’s not his statement. They’re not his words. Those are scripted words for him by his team.

“So, what he feels from his heart is very different than what I see in writing,” she said in an interview.

Nez-Manuel says the process of collecting signatures is one of the finest examples of education for the Diné community.

“It helps us to understand what happens when we pursue a popular vote versus a vote of character and integrity of what we define as a people,” she explained. “Not what the government defines, but as a people.

“What do we define as a leader? What comes to mind are people like Chief Manuelito. He carried his people … through excruciating experiences for our people,” she added. “We have Annie Wauneka. She nearly single-handedly saved the people from diseases. Those kinds of experiences tell us a lot about what character and integrity mean.

“And people like Peterson Zah and some of the speakers (of the Navajo Nation) that we had. The leadership, the capacity, the foresight, the vision of what it means to stand strong.”

Nygren’s statement reads, “Recall supporters worked and organized for six months. Imagine what we could accomplish if we channeled that same energy into healing our people, building homes, creating jobs, and improving our communities. All that passion doesn’t have to end here.”

Nez-Manuel believes the weight that matters most is the 11,000-plus people who signed the petition. “What it told me was, those 11,000 people made sound decisions based on their knowledge of their community, of their families, of their chapters, … and they took action putting pen to paper saying, ‘No more.’”

“This is not the end,” Nez-Manuel said on Monday.

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