On Monday Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren submitted his quarterly state of the nation address in written form to tribal lawmakers. It was the fifth time he did not deliver the speech in person during his tenure as leader of the tribe.
The president says he opted not to appear at council chambers in Window Rock because of a lawsuit brought against him by Speaker Crystalyne Curley. It alleges the president’s recent firing of the tribe’s controller was illegal.
A district court blocked Nygren from taking further action until a hearing next week.
According to the council, the court order did not prevent Nygren from appearing in person. According to Curley, he showed a disregard for the legislative process and transparency in skipping the address.
“The State of the Navajo Nation Address is a responsibility to our Navajo people,” said Curley. “Our people deserve to hear directly from their president about the condition of our nation, the status of our programs, and how his administration is addressing the federal government shutdown. His repeated absences show a troubling lack of accountability and respect for the council and for the Navajo people.”
Nygren says it is unfortunate that time and energy are being spent on the lawsuit and he called on the council to set aside differences to serve the Navajo people.
“This is a critical period—not for division, but for progress,” he said. “Our time in office is limited, and our responsibility is great. Let us use the time we have left to work together, find common ground, and build a stronger future for our Nation.”
As tensions grow between the executive and legislative branches some local officials are also expressing their discontent with the Nygren administration. Leaders in two out of the tribe’s five regional agencies have passed no confidence votes in the president.
“I will not resign, and I will stand firm against any effort to remove me,” Nygren said in a statement to tribal members on Tuesday. “Your vote is sacred, and I will continue to defend the will of the Navajo people.
The conflict comes after Nygren survived a recall effort in March that alleged he misused tribal funds and did not act on significant tribal initiatives.
