SALT LAKE CITY — The spokesman for the administration of Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren points to the reservation leader's accomplishments and regular reports to constituents in countering the push by foes to force him from office.

Furthermore, George Hardeen, Nygren's top communications official, maintains that the charges levied by those pursuing a recall vote, which Debbie Nez-Manuel is helping lead, are vague. Nez-Manuel, Hardeen notes, was let go as director of human resources in Nygren's cabinet earlier this year due to shortcomings in her work and concerns from some working under her.

"She is not happy about it. She is not only helping the recall effort, it was she who launched it," Hardeen said Tuesday in a message to KSL.com. "As a Navajo citizen, she is completely welcome to take this action. But her allegations are general rather than specific, leaving not much to respond to."

Nez-Manuel and a committee of 12 others formally took shape last week and started collecting signatures on petitions to force a vote on whether Nygren should remain in office. They charge Nygren, who took office in early 2023 after winning election to the presidential post in November 2022, with neglect of duty and excessive use of public funds on travel, among other things.

Hardeen, by contrast, pointed to Nygren's efforts and accomplishments as Navajo leader, divulged each week in a radio report and on his Facebook. Nygren also maintains a website that details his initiatives. "Each week, (Nygren) reports what he is doing and what the administration has accomplished for that week. I invite you to judge for yourself whether those accomplishments reflect incompetence as she alleges," Hardeen said.

Some of the recent press releases on Nygren's website note moves to replace playground equipment at 16 Navajo Nation child care centers, the signing of contracts to build new homes for Navajo Nation residents with federal funds, and efforts to crack down on the transport of uranium across reservation land.

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Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren target of recall effort led by former cabinet member

Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren is the target of a recall effort a former cabinet member is helping lead stemming from allegations of misconduct.

Nez-Manuel, speaking to KSL.com last week, rebuffed contentions that the recall drive is backlash from her dismissal in June as the Navajo Nation's top human resources official. A website created to explain the recall effort charges Nygren with "breach of fiduciary duty" in his administration's use of federal funds and not properly reporting his actions to the Navajo Nation Council. It further says Nygren doesn't provide a "healthy workplace" for employees. The Navajo reservation covers the zone where southeastern Utah, northeastern Arizona and northwestern New Mexico meet.

Those behind the recall drive need to collect signatures of 29,083 voters within six months to put the question of whether Nygren should stay in the presidential slot on a future ballot. Nez-Manuel said in a public Facebook post Monday that 1,603 signatures had been collected as of last Sunday.

In a Facebook post Tuesday, Nez-Manuel noted that Navajo law allows for recall efforts for any reason.

"The person who is being recalled does not need to break a law," she wrote. "A sitting president of the Navajo Nation could, in theory, be removed because they like thick rubbery fry bread. So as long as there are enough voters who believe this is a removable offense, bye bye official."

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