The Senate has turned down a Motion to rename the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) headquarters after the late Professor Humphrey Nwosu, the former chairman of the defunct National Electoral Commission (NEC) who conducted the legendary June 12, 1993 presidential election.
Bashorun Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola, recognised to have won the election, has been variously decorated with June 12 made a public holiday.
Nwosu, who conducted the June 12, 1993, election annulled by former military Head of State, Ibrahim Babangida, served as NEC Chairman from 1989 to 1993.
He passed away in a US hospital on October 24, 2024, at the age of 83.
The Motion to nationally immortalise him was again re-sponsored by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe (Abia South) on Thursday after lawmakers rejected it the previous day.
However, after intense deliberation, most senators rejected the Motion through a voice vote.
They, however, agreed to honour the Professor of Polical Science with a one-minute silence and extend condolences to his family, effectively dismissing the other prayers to immortalise Nwosu.
Abaribe had called for posthumous national honours to be conferred on Nwosu in recognition of his role in Nigeria’s democratic evolution.
Senator Osita Ngwu acknowledged that Nwosu operated under a military regime, which restricted his ability to announce the results.
He argued: “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”.
Senator Austin Akobundu, however, described it as most uncharitable for lawmakers to dismiss Nwosu’s contributions, insisting that he deserved a place in Nigeria’s hall of honour.
On the other hand, several senators like Senator Jimoh Ibrahim dismissed the idea outright, questioning why the Senate should honour someone who failed to announce the results insisting that “nothing should be named after him”.
Senator Cyril Fasuyi argued that history does not reward efforts, only results.
“As long as he did not announce the result, whether under duress or not, I am against naming INEC headquarters after him,” he submitted.
Also, Senator Sunday Karimi criticised Nwosu for lacking the courage to speak out, while Senator Afolabi Salisu warned that immortalising him would undermine the memory of MKO Abiola, the widely accepted winner of the June 12, 1993, annulled election. “Any attempt to do anything beyond a one-minute silence is to rubbish Abiola’s legacy,” he tendered.
“President Obasanjo was there as president for 8 years; he didn’t name anything after Nwosu. Even Yar’Adua was there, Jonathan was there, Buhari was there. Now that Nwosu is gone, you want President Tinubu to name structures after Nwosu. It will not happen.”
Adam Oshiomhole (Edo North Senator) said: “Prof. Nwosu and IBB fooled 18 million Nigerians that voted. I would have expected Nwosu to be able to say: ‘I couldn’t display these numbers now in my record; Abiola won this election, but I’m not able to announce it.’ He died without confessing, and he cannot be rewarded.”
Oshiomhole said. “If he was afraid of the gun because we were under a dictatorship, some people might say, ‘Well, there were Nigerians who protested under the gun without minding the consequences.’”
He argued that Nwosu had an opportunity to set the record straight after Nigeria’s return to democracy but failed to do so.
“After the end of Babangida’s tenure, the death of Abiola, and the birth of the new democracy that produced President Obasanjo, I would have expected Nwosu to say—either on his birthday or on a special occasion—‘I couldn’t declare these numbers then, but now, on my record, Abiola won this election. I just wasn’t able to announce it,’” he said. “He died without confession; he cannot be rewarded.”
Nwosu will be buried today Friday, March 28, according to the programme released by his family.
His final resting place will be his residence in Ogbili Otti Palace, Ajalli Town, in Orumba North Local Government Area of Anambra State.
A series of burial activities were scheduled to take place both within and outside Nigeria, commencing with a service of songs and celebration of life on Saturday, March 1, 2025, at the Nigerian Embassy in Washington D.C., USA.
A Night of Tributes was held on Tuesday, March 25, 2025, at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre, Abuja.
He will be laid to rest today, March 28, 2025, at his compound, after a burial service at St. Mark’s Anglican Church, Ajalli, and thereafter guests would proceed to the Ajalli Government School field for entertainment.
