The senator representing Anambra Central Victor Umeh, has expressed strong disapproval of the Senate’s rejection of a motion aimed at immortalizing the late Professor Humphrey Nwosu. The motion, which was raised by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe under matters of urgent public importance, sought to recognize Nwosu’s significant contributions to Nigeria’s democratic process, particularly his role in overseeing the 1993 presidential election, widely considered the freest and fairest in the country’s history.
The motion, co-sponsored by members of the minority caucus, primarily from the South-East, called for the recognition of Nwosu’s courageous defense of the electoral process, which led to the election of late MKO Abiola. However, the motion faced opposition from some quarters, with Deputy Senate President Senator Barau Jibrin, who was presiding over the session, citing divided public opinion regarding Nwosu’s role in the annulled June 12, 1993, elections. When the motion was put to a voice vote, it was ultimately rejected, with the ‘nays’ prevailing.
In a televised interview later on Wednesday, Senator Umeh described the rejection as undemocratic and uncharitable. He said, “I think it is a question of people not being fair to a man who has done so well and instead of giving him accolades, we want to be uncharitable to him even unto death. This motion came today at the most timely moment because he will be buried on Friday, just two days away.”
Umeh added that it was important for lawmakers to express their views, whether in favor or against the motion, and that shutting it down without debate was an unjust approach. He emphasized that such motions are typically debated in the Senate, regardless of differing opinions, and that the rejection was a disservice to the memory of Prof. Nwosu.
The late Humphrey Nwosu was the Chairman of the National Electoral Commission (NEC) during the 1993 elections, a pivotal moment in Nigeria’s political history. The elections, which produced MKO Abiola as the winner, were hailed by many as the most credible and transparent election in the country’s history. However, the election was annulled by the then-military government, sparking widespread political unrest.
Senator Umeh argued that Nwosu’s contributions to Nigeria’s democratic process deserved recognition, and that the rejection of the motion was unfair to someone who had given so much to the country.
