The Southeast Caucus of the Nigerian Senate has expressed the confidence that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, being a democrat and one of the main actors in the June 12, 1993 struggle, will honor the late Professor Humphrey Nwosu, the former Chairman of the National Electoral Commission (NEC) despite the rejection of a motion aimed at immortalizing him by the Senate.
Speaking on behalf of the caucus, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe urged him to take decisive action in honoring the late Nwosu, the man behind Nigeria’s historic June 12, 1993, presidential election.
The lawmakers insisted that since Tinubu has been at the forefront of the June 12 struggle, he must ensure that Nwosu is given the recognition he deserves.
He also drew Tinubu’s attention to the fact that another former chairman of the Electoral Umpire; Professor Mahmood Jega was the first to make the appeal for Nwosu to be so honored.
Earlier on Wednesday, in fierce debate that erupted on the floor of the Senate, after Abaribe moved the motion some lawmakers had blocked him for seeking to immortalize the late Humphrey Nwosu, who superintended over the historic June 12, 1993, presidential election.
Nwosu, as chairman of the defunct NEC, Abaribe said the election was regarded as Nigeria’s freest and fairest election—an election won by Chief MKO Abiola but controversially annulled by the military regime of General Ibrahim Babangida.
He had sought Senate approval to honor Nwosu, proposing, among other things, that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) be renamed after him. However, when Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau put the motion to a vote that was overwhelmingly rejected.
Not deterred by the rejection Abaribe on Thursday came up with a motion on recession, coming under Order 52(C) he represented the motion.
During the heated deliberations on Thursday, senators took 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 insisted.
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Senator Austin Akobundu also condemned attempts to downplay Nwosu’s contributions, calling it “most uncharitable” to dismiss the man who organized one of Nigeria’s most credible elections.
However, others strongly opposed immortalizing Nwosu. Senator Jimoh Ibrahim dismissed the idea, stating that the former electoral chairman failed in his duty.
“Nothing should be named after him. He did not announce the result, and that singular failure invalidates any honour,” Ibrahim argued.
Senator Cyril Fasuyi echoed similar sentiments, asserting that “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, criticized Nwosu for failing to show courage in defending the integrity of the election while Senator Afolabi Salisu warned that recognizing Nwosu in such a manner could diminish the legacy of MKO Abiola, the presumed winner of the election.
