Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, led by Senator John Azuta Mbata, has expressed dismay at the Nigerian Senate’s refusal to adopt a motion aimed at naming the Abuja National Headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) after the late Professor Humphrey Nwosu.
The motion moved by Senator Eyninnaya Abaribe on 25th March 2025 garnered support from South East Senators, but ultimately did not pass.
Professor Nwosu, who served as the Chairman of the National Electoral Commission (NEC), is renowned for overseeing the 1993 presidential election, widely regarded as the freest and fairest in Nigeria’s history. This election, which many believe was won by Chief MKO Abiola, has become a significant point of reference in Nigeria’s democratic journey.
Since Professor Nwosu’s passing on 20th October 2024 in Virginia, USA, calls for a posthumous honour in recognition of his contributions to Nigerian democracy have intensified. Ezechi Chukwu, Ph.D., the Publicity Secretary of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, stated, “It is regrettable that the Senate has failed to honour a man who demonstrated exceptional courage and patriotism in laying the foundation for what is now known as Democracy Day in Nigeria.”
Chukwu further condemned the arguments against the motion, which he described as “based on inaccurate information and conjectures rather than facts.” He cited Professor Nwosu’s autobiography, which clearly states that Chief Abiola won the presidential election, supported by signed results from party representatives.
The significance of the June 12 election has not waned, as it has been enshrined in Nigeria’s political history and commemorated annually as Democracy Day. In a notable gesture, former President Muhammadu Buhari awarded Chief Abiola the Grand Commander of the Federal Republic (GCFR) posthumously in 2018, a move Chukwu suggested should be mirrored in honouring Nwosu.
He remarked, “If posthumous honours and Democracy Day are associated with Chief MKO Abiola’s implicit mandate, how can that part of our political history be complete without the man who engineered this celebrated process?”
“Ohanaeze Ndigbo is calling on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to honour Professor Nwosu by naming a national monument after him, thereby acknowledging his invaluable legacy. This act of omission presents a significant challenge to patriotic Nigerians,” Chukwu added, highlighting the need for justice and recognition of Nwosu’s contributions.
