The senate dismissed requests to immortalise him but agreed to observe a minute silence in his honour.
The senate has has thrown out prayers contained in a motion seeking to rename the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) after the late Prof. Humphrey Nwosu. He was a former chairman of the defunct National Electoral Commission (NEC) who conducted the historic June 12, 1993, presidential election.
The motion, re-sponsored by Sen. Enyinnaya Abaribe on Thursday after it was initially rejected the previous day, also called for posthumous national honour to be conferred on Nwosu in recognition of his contributions to Nigeria’s democratic development.
Parliament Reports recalls that barely 24 hours ago, during the intial presentation of the motion, there was an intense debate among lawmakers, with deep divisions over Nwosu’s role in Nigeria’s electoral history.
Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau (APC, Kano north), who presided over the session, declined Abaribe’s request, while Senate Leader Sen. Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Ekiti central) argued that the motion was improperly filed and could not be reconsidered at that stage of the session.
During the day’s plenary, after Abaribe represented the motion, Sen. Osita Ngwu defended Nwosu, stating that he operated under military constraints and had no choice but to halt the announcement of 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,” he argued.
Similarly, Sen. Austin Akobundu condemned the rejection of the motion, insisting that disregarding Nwosu’s contributions was unfair.
However, others opposed the proposal. Sen. Adams Oshiomhole (APC, Edo north) strongly opposed the motion, arguing that Nwosu’s failure to announce the results of the June 12, 1993, election demonstrated a lack of courage.
Nigerians are really in pain because nobody can quote where Professor Nwosu announced the results. His failure to do so, whether due to threats or other pressures, meant that Nigerians could not officially say that MKO Abiola was declared the winner,” Oshiomhole stated.
He recalled his involvement in the struggle for democracy and a crucial meeting with the late Gen. Sani Abacha, who justified Abiola’s detention on the grounds that Abiola had unilaterally declared himself the winner.
“If Professor Nwosu had had the courage I emphasise courage, as it’s been suggested here to announce the winner and damn the consequences. After all, he who is not ready to die for something, will end up dying for nothing.
“Professor Nwosu, when it mattered most, his courage failed him. And when you give national honors, and recognition, you do so for people who have shown courage, who have paid the supreme price, or who were ready to pay that price. cognizance of the fact that Professor Nwosu laid a landmark foundation. This is the reason it is even more painful to Nigerians,” he said.
Sen. Solomon Olamilekan (APC, Ogun west) vehemently opposed the motion, citing personal tragedy and questioning Nwosu’s eligibility for national honours.
“This is one issue I have tried as much as possible to avoid because it brings back painful memories,” Olamilekan stated. “And I am speaking not along party lines, ethnic, or whatsoever.”
Recounting his personal loss, he revealed that his younger brother died as a result of the events surrounding the annulment of the June 12, 1993, election.
“As a result of the action and inaction that Professor Humphrey Nwosu, I lost my immediate junior brother. He died right behind me for him refusing to carry out his duty as INEC chairman.“
Olamilekan argued that while many have praised Nwosu for conducting a credible election, it is crucial to differentiate between three key responsibilities: conducting an election, releasing results, and officially announcing them.
“You and I know that releasing results is not the same as announcing them. He failed at a critical moment,” he asserted.
He maintained that true recognition should be reserved for those who made sacrifices for democracy. “Till today, we celebrate Abiola and others who put their lives on the line. With all due respect, Prof. Humphrey Nwosu does not deserve to be immortalised among those few Nigerians who stood for what was right,” he concluded.
Sen. Jimoh Ibrahim dismissed the idea of honouring Nwosu, stating, that “nothing should be named after him.”
Sen. Cyril Fasuyi argued that history rewards results, not efforts. “As long as he did not announce the result, whether under duress or not, I am against naming INEC headquarters after him,” he submitted.
Sen. Sunday Karimi criticised Nwosu’s lack of public resistance, while Sen. Afolabi Salisu warned that immortalising him could diminish the legacy of the late MKO Abiola, the widely accepted winner of the annulled June 12 election.
He said, “Any attempt to do anything beyond a one-minute silence is to rubbish Abiola’s legacy.”
Senate’s final decision
Following the debate, the senate rejected the motion through a voice vote. However, lawmakers agreed to observe a one-minute silence in Nwosu’s honour and extend condolences to his family, effectively dismissing other requests to immortalise him.
South-east lawmakers respond
Shortly after the one minute silence, ten south east senators, including Anthony Ani, Ned Nwoko, Victor Umeh, Osita Izunaso, Patrick Ndubueze, Enyinnaya Abaribe, Tony Nwosu, Ezenwa Onyewuchi, Kelvin Chukwu, and Austin Akobundu, addressed journalists at the senate press corps centre.
Speaking on behalf of the group, Sen. Abaribe defended the motion, highlighting Nwosu’s role in shaping Nigeria’s electoral process. He noted that Nwosu initiated the construction of the present INEC headquarters and that even former INEC chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, had recently expressed surprise that the government had not yet honoured him.
“We felt that we should recommend that the executive names that INEC building after him. This is also in consonance with what Professor Jega, a former INEC chairman, said on Tuesday at the colloquium for Professor Humphrey Nwosu.
“Professor Jega said that he was surprised that up to this moment Humphrey Nwosu has not been recognised or honored by the government of Nigeria who today are benefiting from his plans and legacies in producing in 1993 the freest and fairest election.”
Abaribe argued that Nwosu’s work laid the foundation for Nigeria’s modern electoral system.
“Don’t forget, that it was the outcome of the annulment of that election that led to the disturbances everywhere in Nigeria that also led to the exit of the military in 1999, six years later.
“We also had another that even if they don’t do that, they should also honor Professor Humphrey Nwosu by giving him a posthumous honour. That was also rejected on the floor. Of course, the third one, which was for him to be honored by the senate by giving him a one-minute silence, was done.
“But we are not deterred. It may be delayed, but it will not be denied. Professor Humphrey Nwosu was the person who laid the foundation that we are all enjoying today. As far as we are concerned, we think that even if this government does not honor Professor Nwosu, a government in future will honor him. After all, some other governments refused to recognise Abiola, but later, a government recognized Abiola. Some other governments didn’t recognize June 12th, but later, a government recognised June 12th as our democracy day. So we believe that in the future, the government of this country will make sure that they recognise those who have actually sacrificed and used their everything to make Nigeria a better place.”
About Prof. Humphrey Nwosu
Born on 2 October 1941, Humphrey Nwosu was a Nigerian civil servant and chairman of the National Electoral Commission (NEC) from 1989 to 1993, appointed by then-President Ibrahim Babangida.
He oversaw the June 12, 1993, presidential election, widely regarded as Nigeria’s freest and fairest poll, in which Chief MKO Abiola emerged victorious. Under Nwosu’s leadership, NEC introduced the innovative Option A4 voting system and the Open Ballot System.
However, midway through announcing the election results, Nwosu was ordered by the military government to halt the process, leading to the election’s annulment. In 2008, he published a book defending Babangida’s role in the annulment, a stance that was widely criticised.
