S’East senators lobby Tinubu as Senate rejects motion to honour Nwosu

For the second time in two days, the Senate has rejected a motion seeking to rename the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) headquarters after the late Prof Humphrey Nwosu. The motion is meant to honour the chairman of the defunct National Electoral Commission (NEC), who oversaw the historic June 12, 1993 presidential election.

Following the rejection of the motion, the supporters, mainly senators from the South-East region, have appealed to President Bola Tinubu to honour Nwosu. Earlier on Wednesday, in a debate on the floor of the Senate, some lawmakers had blocked a motion seeking to immortalise late Nwosu.

Not deterred by the rejection, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, yesterday, coming under Order 52(C), represented the motion. The motion, re-sponsored by Abaribe yesterday, sought posthumous national honours for Nwosu, recognising his role in Nigeria’s democratic evolution. However, the proposal met stiff resistance, highlighting deep divisions over Nwosu’s legacy and whether his role in the June 12 election merited such an honour.

During heated deliberations yesterday, senators held contrasting positions on Nwosu’s place in history. Senator Osita Ngwu defended the former NEC chairman, arguing that Nwosu was operating under a military regime and was constrained in announcing the election results.

“There was no way he would have announced the results with a gun to his head. That doesn’t change the fact that some of us see him as a hero,” Ngwu argued. Senator Austin Akobundu also condemned attempts to downplay Nwosu’s contributions, calling it “most uncharitable” to dismiss the man who organised one of Nigeria’s most credible elections.

However, others strongly opposed immortalising Nwosu. Senator Jimoh Ibrahim dismissed the idea, stating that the former electoral chairman failed in his duty.
Senator Cyril Fasuyi echoed similar sentiments, saying: “History does not reward efforts, but only results. As long as he did not announce the result, whether under duress or not, I am against naming INEC headquarters after him.”

Other lawmakers, like Senator Sunday Karimi, criticised Nwosu for failing to show courage in defending the integrity of the election, while Senator Afolabi Salisu warned that recognising Nwosu in such a manner could diminish the legacy of MKO Abiola, the presumed winner of the election.

MEANWHILE, the South-East caucus of the Senate has appealed to President Tinubu to honour Nwosu by immortalising him for his pivotal role in ensuring that the historic June 12, 1993 presidential elections were held and also put the elections in the consciousness of Nigerians.

Expressing disappointment after the upper chamber rejected their motion twice, the South-East lawmakers, who had earlier walked out of the chamber, told Senate correspondents in a briefing that President Tinubu had always been recognised as a ‘June 12 warrior’, making it fitting for his administration to acknowledge Nwosu’s legacy.

The lawmakers said that despite the rejection of the first two prayers, the caucus remained undeterred, arguing that Nwosu’s recognition might be delayed but not denied. The Chairman of the South-East caucus, Senator Abaribe, said: “If there was no election, there would have been no June 12.”