₦airaland Forum

The Chairman of the South-East Senate Caucus and lawmaker representing Abia South, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, and other members on Thursday urged President Bola Tinubu to consider honouring the late former Chairman of the National Electoral Commission, Prof. Humphrey Nwosu, for his handling of the in the historic June 12, 1993 presidential election, adjudged the fairest election in the country’s history.

The plea comes on the heel of Thursday’s rejection of Abaribe’s motion to have Nwosu immortalised by the National Assembly. While describing Tinubu as a ‘June 12 warrior’, the Abia senator begged him to look beyond the Senate’s rejection of the motion and do the right thing.

According to him, everybody in Nigeria knew the sacrifice the late NEC chair made to enthrone the democracy Nigerians are presently enjoying.

Abaribe also said there was little or nothing Nwosu could have done in the wake of a court judgment by Justice Bassey Ikpeme halting the announcement of the election results.

He said, “So we are using this opportunity to appeal to the government of President Bola Tinubu to honour the man who made sure that that election was held, even though it was done, and put elections in the consciousness of Nigerians.

“If you recall, Tinubu was seen and has always been seen, as a June 12 warrior. Don’t forget that it was the outcome of the annulment of that election that degenerated to the disturbances everywhere in Nigeria that led to the exit of the military in 1999, six years later.

“This is also in consonance with what Professor Jega, a former INEC Chairman, said on Tuesday at the colloquium for Nwosu. Prof Jega said he was surprised that up to this moment, the professor has not been recognised or honoured by the government of Nigeria, which today is benefiting from his legacies in producing, in 1993, the freest and fairest election.”

Another member of the South-East Caucus and the lawmaker representing Imo West, Senator Osita Izunaso, also shared his sentiment. Izunaso, who claimed to be a returning officer during the 1993 election, recalled how Nwosu was apprehended at the State House for defying the military junta’s order.

“We are all aware that Justice (Bassey) Ikpeme said that there should be no election. By 9.30 in the morning on June 10, Nwosu, without invitation, went to the National Defence and Security Council and convinced them that the election process had commenced.

“If anybody is saying that he did not announce the results, the person is lying, because the results were being announced. In fact, they had announced 29, remaining only Taraba State. Even when they ordered him to come to the Aso Rock, he was even arrested. But he still ordered that Taraba’s result be announced.

“So at what point would Humphrey Nwosu have announced that result? Is it in the Aso Rock? Let us be serious. But the truth of the matter is that the Senate resolution is not even compelling. So we are urging President Bola Tinubu to do the right thing by immortalising Professor Nwosu.

”On Thursday, the Senate threw out prayers contained in Abaribe’s motion seeking to rename the Independent National Electoral Commission headquarters after the late NEC boss. Abaribe also called for posthumous national honours to be conferred on Nwosu in recognition of his role in Nigeria’s democratic evolution.

However, the proposal sparked a heated debate once again, with senators deeply divided over Nwosu’s legacy. In the end, the motion was put to vote, but it was rejected.

The lawmakers, however, agreed to honour him with a one-minute silence and extend condolences to his family, effectively dismissing the other prayers to immortalise Nwosu. The action forced the South-East senators to stage a walk-out.

“If anybody is saying that he did not announce the results, the person is lying, because the results were being announced. In fact, they had announced 29, remaining only Taraba State. Even when they ordered him to come to the Aso Rock, he was even arrested. But he still ordered that Taraba’s result be announced.

TimeManager:
If a woman went through the process of pregnancy and ended up with a stillbirth, would such be celebrated?. When you have the freest and fairest election process but the end result is a stillbirth, do we still celebrate that?



I'm not aware of this. We were aware he was summoned but he was never arrested. And let's even agree without conceding that he was arrested, could he have given an order that the results be announced under detention, how was that possible? and who announced it after giving the so called order?. I know we want to caress history and embellish it and be on the good side of it but please, let's do it reasonably.



-Kiss the truth!

EnglandAmaka:
How did they know MKO won if he did not announce the result?

MKO has been immortalised, Prof Nwosu should be immortalised too

zero8zero:
Immortalize a coward?, You gat to be kidding me.

Racoon:
Just imagine! Let see them immortalise Mahmud Yakubu when it is time. The only way to be relevant in Nigeria is to commit a big crime.

JikSneh:
Tinubu should not listen to ipobidients and Arewa rodents.
Jonathan came, they didn't talk about it.
Buhari came, they didn't talk about it.

It's yorubas turn and you want us to take y'all serious?
They should go and warm eba.
The real omoluabis knows their enemies and will treat them in the language they understand.
South southerners should also be careful not to involve in our fights with Arewa and Afghaeastans

TimeManager:
If a woman went through the process of pregnancy and ended up with a stillbirth, would such be celebrated?. When you have the freest and fairest election process but the end result is a stillbirth, do we still celebrate that?



I'm not aware of this. We were aware he was summoned but he was never arrested. And let's even agree without conceding that he was arrested, could he have given an order that the results be announced under detention, how was that possible? and who announced it after giving the so called order?. I know we want to caress history and embellish it and be on the good side of it but please, let's do it reasonably.



-Kiss the truth!

Goke7:
Buhari, who even tried to recognise MKO, did so for reelection purposes; how immortalising Nwosu will benefit any politician now is what I don't understand

Counterigbolies:
I have asked u how your agulu fraud won a million times but u people run away from the question anytime u are asked

U just keep holding to irrelevant

Can u tell us how obi won tinubu?