Senate Rejects Motion To Rename INEC Headquarters After Late Prof. Nwosu

The Senate on Thursday rejected a motion seeking to rename the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) headquarters in honour of the former chairman of the defunct National Electoral Commission (NEC), late Prof. Humphrey Nwosu, who oversaw the annulled June 12, 1993, presidential election.

Naija News reports that the motion, which was re-sponsored by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, also called for posthumous national honors to be conferred on Nwosu in recognition of his role in Nigeria’s democratic evolution.

The proposal sparked a passionate and divisive debate in the Senate, with lawmakers sharply divided on whether Nwosu’s contributions to Nigeria’s democracy should be immortalized.

Senator Osita Ngwu acknowledged that Nwosu operated under a military regime, which significantly limited his ability to announce the results of the 1993 election. Despite this, Ngwu maintained that Nwosu should still be regarded as a hero for his efforts.

“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,” Ngwu argued, emphasizing the difficult circumstances under which Nwosu had to operate.

However, other senators strongly opposed the motion, questioning Nwosu’s legacy due to his failure to announce the results of the election.

Senator Austin Akobundu described the rejection of Nwosu’s contributions as “most uncharitable,” arguing that he deserved a place in Nigeria’s hall of honor.

Yet, Senator Jimoh Ibrahim dismissed the proposal, questioning why the Senate should honor someone who did not fulfill his duty to announce the election results.

“Nothing should be named after him,” Ibrahim insisted, effectively rejecting the idea of immortalizing Nwosu’s name.

Senator Cyril Fasuyi further argued that history rewards results, not efforts. “As long as he did not announce the result, whether under duress or not, I am against naming INEC headquarters after him,” Fasuyi stated, aligning with those who felt Nwosu’s actions, or lack thereof, disqualified him from such recognition.

Senator Sunday Karimi criticized Nwosu for failing to demonstrate the courage to act in the face of pressure, while Senator Afolabi Salisu warned that honoring Nwosu would undermine the legacy of MKO Abiola, the widely accepted winner of the June 12, 1993, annulled election.

“Any attempt to do anything beyond a one-minute silence is to rubbish Abiola’s legacy,” Salisu remarked, asserting that such a move would dishonor the memory of Abiola.

After a prolonged and intense deliberation, the majority of senators voted against the motion, rejecting the idea of renaming the INEC headquarters or conferring national honors on Nwosu.

However, they agreed to honour the late professor with a one-minute silence and extended condolences to his family, effectively dismissing the other proposals to immortalize Nwosu.