JUST IN: Senate Rejects Motion to Rename INEC Headquarters After Humphrey Nwosu

The Nigerian Senate has rejected a motion seeking to rename the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) after the late Professor Humphrey Nwosu, the former chairman of the defunct National Electoral Commission (NEC) who oversaw the June 12, 1993, presidential election.

The motion, re-sponsored by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe on Thursday, sought to honour Nwosu posthumously for his contributions to Nigeria’s democratic history. Abaribe also proposed that national honours be conferred on him in recognition of his role in conducting the historic election. However, the motion faced strong opposition on the Senate floor, leading to its rejection.

The debate on the motion was deeply divisive. Senator Osita Ngwu defended Nwosu, arguing that the circumstances of the military regime under which he operated prevented him from announcing the election results. “There was no way he would have announced the results with a gun to his head. That doesn’t change the fact that some of us see him as a hero,” he stated.

Similarly, Senator Austin Akobundu insisted that dismissing Nwosu’s contributions was unfair, asserting that he deserved a place in Nigeria’s history.

However, several senators opposed the motion, questioning Nwosu’s legacy. Senator Jimoh Ibrahim rejected the idea outright, arguing that “nothing should be named after him” since he failed to announce the election results. Senator Cyril Fasuyi echoed this sentiment, stating, “History does not reward efforts, only results. As long as he did not announce the result, whether under duress or not, I am against naming INEC headquarters after him.”

Senator Sunday Karimi also criticised Nwosu for not speaking out after the election, while Senator Afolabi Salisu warned that immortalising him would undermine the memory of MKO Abiola, the widely accepted winner of the annulled election. “Any attempt to do anything beyond a one-minute silence is to rubbish Abiola’s legacy,” he argued.

Following intense deliberation, the Senate rejected the motion through a voice vote. While the lawmakers agreed to observe a one-minute silence in Nwosu’s honour and extend condolences to his family, they declined to rename the INEC headquarters after him or grant him a national honour.