The Senate has again rejected a motion to immortalize former Chairman of the National Electoral Commission (NEC), Professor Humphrey Nwosu, for his role in the annulled June 12, 1993, presidential election.
The motion, reintroduced by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe after being previously thrown out in an earlier session, reignited divisions along regional lines.
The motion, co-sponsored by all the Senators from the South East region of the country and a few others from different regions, the debate quickly became contentious.
Leading the opposing voices was Senator Adams Oshiomhole, who criticized the motion’s language, particularly the claim that Nwosu was “courageous” during the 1993 election process.
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Oshiomhole argued that June 12 became significant because partial results had already been announced, allowing Nigerians to deduce the outcome.
However, he accused Nwosu of failing to fulfill his duty by not formally declaring the final results.
According to Oshiomhole, Nwosu’s refusal, whether due to external pressure, denied Nigerians the official confirmation of MKO Abiola’s victory.
He emphasized that this failure contributed to Abiola’s self-declaration, which ultimately led to his arrest and death in detention.
Oshiomhole asserted that even after Nigeria transitioned to democracy, where freedom of speech is guaranteed, that Nwosu never openly declared the winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, before his passing.
The Edo Senator says Nwosu died without a confession, and as such, cannot be rewarded.
Senator Victor Umeh (Anambra Central), who seconded the motion, defended Nwosu’s legacy, arguing that he played a critical role in Nigeria’s democratic evolution.
He noted that Pruf Nwosu spent 5 years under military rule and introduced the Option A4 voting system, which was widely celebrated for its transparency.
Umeh emphasized that Nwosu had insisted on conducting the June 12 election despite pressures to halt it.
He revealed that Nwosu even went to Court to ensure the results could be announced, but was ultimately stopped by the military, which led to the dissolution of NEC.
Similarly, Senator Patrick Ndubueze (Imo North ) highlighted that Nwosu courageously released the results within his reach before being whisked away by military forces.
He questioned why blame was being placed solely on Nwosu instead of on General Ibrahim Babangida, who annulled the election.
After over 2 hours of debate, the Senate rejected the motion through a voice vote.
The only concession made was to send condolences to Nwosu’s family and acknowledge his contributions to Nigeria’s electoral system.
The Senate then observed a minute of silence in his honor.
Following the decision, the South East Senators and a few of their allies walked out of the chamber in protest.
(Editor: Ken Eseni)
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