Nigerians of all backgrounds have urged the federal government to preserve the memory of the democratic icon who held the country’s freest, most credible, and most equitable presidential election on June 12, 1993, as funeral ceremonies for the late Professor Humphrey Nwosu, the former chairman of the National Electoral Commission (NEC), began.
The independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) asked for posthumous recognition for the previous INEC Chairman and a significant figure in the historic June 12, 1993 presidential election during a speech Tuesday in Abuja at the INEC burial ceremony for its late chairman. Nwosu, Prof. Humphrey.
Prof. Yakubu Moahmud, the commission’s chairman, gave this indication at a somber event honoring the recently deceased former chairman, Nwosu.
Professor Mahmoud emphasized Nwosu’s important contributions to Nigeria’s electoral process, particularly the installation of Option A4, popularly known as the Open Ballot System, which revolutionized the country’s election transparency.
At a gathering held at the Yaradua Center, the INEC Secretary listed Nwosu’s many accomplishments, which included, among other things, moving the commission from Lagos to Abuja and constructing INEC headquarters.
In his remarks, Simon Okeke, the former chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC), urged the federal government to honor the brave and creative professor by naming the INEC headquarters in his honor. “The man who made it happen has not been recognized as a patriot, but the late MKO Abiola has been acknowledged as the true winner of the June 12 election,” he said.
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Professor Jerry Gana, Tonnie Iredia, and former Information Minister Tonnie Iredia were among those who spoke out and urged the federal government to honor those who deserve it.
The 83-year-old Professor Nwosu died on October 20, 2024, in Virginia, USA. On March 28, his hometown of Ajalli in the state of Anambra will host his funeral. When General Ibrahim Babangida was in power, they were in charge of the electoral body.
Presumed 1993 election winner Chief M.K.O. Abiola was posthumously given Nigeria’s highest national award, but Nwosu’s accomplishments have not yet been recognized in the same way. Yakubu pleaded with the government to correct this error and pay tribute to Nwosu’s steadfast dedication to electoral integrity.
