Peter Jatau, Abuja, March 29, 2025
The Nigerian Senate has twice rejected a motion put forward by the South-East caucus to honour and immortalise former electoral chairman, Professor Humphrey Nwosu, for his role in the historic June 12, 1993, presidential election.
The motion, which was presented at the National Assembly on March 27, 2025, sought three key actions: renaming the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) headquarters after Prof. Nwosu, posthumously awarding him a national honour, and observing a one-minute silence in his memory. While the Senate granted the last request, the first two were met with strong opposition.
South-East Caucus Presses for Recognition
The South-East caucus, led by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, expressed disappointment after the Senate’s repeated rejection of their motion. Addressing Senate correspondents at the National Assembly Complex, the lawmakers emphasized the historical significance of Prof. Nwosu’s efforts in overseeing the 1993 election, often regarded as Nigeria’s freest and fairest poll.
“If there was no election, there would have been no June 12 as Democracy Day in Nigeria today,” Senator Abaribe argued. “It was Professor Humphrey Nwosu’s determination and courage that ensured that election was held, even in the face of military pressure.”
The caucus maintained that President Bola Tinubu, who has been widely recognized as a ‘June 12 warrior,’ should lead efforts to acknowledge Prof. Nwosu’s legacy by granting him a posthumous national honour and renaming the INEC headquarters in his memory.
Senators Cite Unresolved Controversy
Despite the passionate plea from the South-East senators, the majority of lawmakers opposed the motion, citing the fact that Prof. Nwosu, as the electoral umpire, failed to announce the full results of the June 12, 1993, election.
They argued that this inaction contributed to the political crisis that ensued, leading to nationwide protests, violent suppression of pro-democracy activists, and ultimately the arrest and eventual death of the presumed winner of the election, Chief M.K.O. Abiola.
“While we acknowledge his role in conducting the election, we cannot ignore the fact that he left his duty incomplete,” a senator from the opposing side stated. “The failure to announce the full results brought untold hardship to Nigeria’s democratic movement and cost many lives.”
Appeal to President Tinubu
Despite the Senate’s refusal to grant the motion, Senator Osita Izunaso urged President Tinubu to consider the South-East caucus’s request at the executive level. He emphasized that recognising Prof. Nwosu’s contributions would be a significant step in preserving Nigeria’s democratic history.
The debate over Prof. Nwosu’s legacy remains a contentious one, with divided opinions on whether he should be celebrated as a hero of democracy or held accountable for the political turmoil that followed the annulled June 12 election.
As the matter now shifts to the executive’s consideration, Nigerians await President Tinubu’s decision on whether to honour Prof. Humphrey Nwosu posthumously.
