A heated debate erupted in the Senate on Wednesday over a motion to honor the late Professor Humphrey Nwosu, the former Chairman of the National Electoral Commission (NEC).
Nwosu, who played a key role in Nigeria’s electoral history by overseeing the June 12, 1993, presidential election, passed away at the age of 83 on March 1, 2024, in a hospital in the United States.
The controversy began when Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe attempted to move a motion under personal explanation, seeking to immortalize Nwosu.
However, his request was met with resistance from some lawmakers, leading to a tense atmosphere in the chamber.
While Abaribe insisted on his right to present the motion, opposing voices questioned whether it followed proper legislative procedures. The disagreement caused tempers to flare as both sides stood firmly by their positions.
“Even if the Senate leader says that it doesn’t follow, by the fact that a senator wants to make a personal explanation, you must give that senator a chance to make that personal explanation. We are not under a dictatorship,” Abaribe stated in a broadcast posted on NASSTV.
Nwosu is remembered for organizing what many consider one of Nigeria’s freest and fairest elections. However, the credibility of that election was overshadowed by its annulment, a decision that remains a significant moment in the country’s democratic journey.
Over the years, various stakeholders have called for proper recognition of Nwosu’s contributions to electoral reforms in Nigeria.
Recently, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu, noted that Nwosu deserved a posthumous national honor.
Despite the disagreement in the Senate, arrangements for Nwosu’s final rites remain unchanged. He will be laid to rest on Friday, March 28, in his hometown in Anambra State.
