The Senator John Mbata-led Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has expressed dismay over the inability of the Senate to pass a motion seeking to name the Abuja National Headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) after Professor Humphrey Nwosu.
Prof. Nwosu as Chairman of the National Electoral Commission (NEC) conducted the acclaimed freest and fairest Presidential Election in the history of Nigeria, in 1993, which was won by Chief MKO Abiola.
Since Prof Nwosu’s death on the 20th of October 2024 in Virginia USA, the debate on his role in the Nigerian democracy has taken the front burner, with many Nigerians all over the world calling for a befitting posthumous national honour to be awarded to him.
In a release signed by Dr Ezechi Chukwu, the Publicity Secretary of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, it noted, “The height of this patriotic call was the motion moved by Senator Eyninnaya Abaribe on Wednesday 25th March 2025 and supported by the South East Senators and other good willed Senators in the Red Chambers, to name the INEC headquarters after the late academic luminary, but regrettably was not passed by the August body.
“Ohanaeze Ndigbo in view of the foregoing condemns in strong terms the inability of the Senate to honour Prof. Nwosu who demonstrated uncommon courage, quiditty of patriotism and unwavering statesmanship in laying the architectural foundation of June 12, which is a robust landmark in our contemporary democracy.”
The statement further stated, “It is regrettable that arguments presented by those who opposed were based on inaccurate information and conjectures rather than facts. Prof Nwosu, in his autobiography, stated that the results of the Presidential elections showed clearly that Chief M.K.O. Abiola won the elections. The figures from the votes were calculated and signed by the representatives of the parties that contested the elections. Furthermore, Prof Nwosu started announcing the results before he forcefully stopped.
It added, “It is obvious that June 12 and its symbolism have taken an indelible imprint in the annals of Nigerian political life, just as it is being canonized as ‘Democracy Day’.
“To buttress its importance, on the 6th of June 2018, the then President, Muhammadu Buhari awarded the highest honour of the land: the Grand Commander of the Federal Republic (GCFR) to late Chief Moshood K. O. Abiola. Though the gesture triggered heated debate between the pro and anti-President Buhari elements, the President was unperturbed because his intentions were in consonance with justice, fairness and honour to whom it was due, no matter how belated it was. Though Chief Abiola is late, the significance of that honour is sacrosanct.
“Consequently, the apex Igbo body is shocked at the distortion of facts, which compels suspicions of the real motives of not supporting the highest act of patriotism displayed by a nationalist who put his life on the line for Nigeria. This act of omission throws up a big challenge to patriotic Nigerians.”
The body therefore called on the Senate to do the needful by according posthumous honour on Nwosu, saying “‘Democracy Day’ is associated with Chief MKO Abiola’s implicit mandate, how then can that part of our political history be complete without the man who engineered this celebrated process?”
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