The South East Senate caucus on Thursday, told President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to ignore the Senate’s resolution not to immortalize late Prof. Humphrey Nwosu and go ahead to honour him posthumously.
The caucus led by Sen. Enyinnaya Abaribe, addressed a press conference after the motion to immortalize Prof. Nwosu failed amid heated debate in the Senate for the second time.
Sen. Abaribe said “Senate resolution is only advisory and not compelling,” hence Tinubu should go ahead to honour him.
Late Prof. Nwosu was the chairman of the National Electoral Commission (NEC) that conducted the June 12, 1993 election, believed to be the fairest and freest election which the late business tycoon, Moshood Abiola won.
The motion to immortalize late Prof. Nwosu was sponsored by Sen. Abaribe alongside others from the South East.
The caucus expressed disappointment at their colleagues from other zones of the country, for not seeing the patriotism of the late NEC boss in conducting a national election that was teleguided by the military administration that eventually annulled it.
They were obviously reacting to comments of some senators who insisted that Nwosu doesn’t deserve a national honour or any form of immortalization, having failed to fully announced the ill-fated election results that eventually led to the death of Chief Abiola.
Among senators that stoutly opposed the motion was Sen. Sunday Karimi representing Kogi East Senatorial District.
He warned the Senate to be careful and wary of sentiments in celebrating those who obviously failed the nation.
Sen. Karimi said: “Mr. President, distinguished colleagues, we are talking about Nwosu who failed to announce election results. We should be careful about who we celebrate.
“We have celebrated those who did well before and we want the administration of President Bola Tinubu to honour this man. Tinubu will not do something like this. In fact one minute silence is enough.”
The motion recommended that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) headquarters be named after Nwosu, saying the he was the one that started the construction of the building.
Read also: Senate rejects motion to immortalise Humphrey Nwosu
Other prayers seeking the nod of the Senate was the conferment of a posthumous national honour and a one minute silence in his honour which was, however, observed.
Sen. Abaribe further argued that the late Abiola has been posthumously recognized to have won the election conducted by the late Nwosu, thus it would be an injustice not to recognize him.
He expressed the belief that a government would one day recognize him.
“Even if this government does not honour him, a future government will,” a caucus member stated. “Nwosu played a critical role in shaping Nigeria’s democracy, and his contributions cannot be ignored.”
The lawmakers highlighted Nwosu’s defiance of a court order that sought to halt the 1993 election, arguing that without his determination, June 12 would not have become a landmark in Nigeria’s democratic history.
They reaffirmed their commitment to ensuring that Nwosu’s legacy is preserved and urged Nigerians to continue advocating for his recognition.
