The Senate has rejected prayers contained in a motion seeking to rename the Independent National Electoral Commission headquarters after the former chairman of the defunct National Electoral Commission (NEC), the late Professor Humphrey Nwosu.
The late Nwosu was the chairman of the NEC, the electoral body that organised the annulled June 12, 1993, presidential election won by Chief Moshood Abiola.
The motion to name the INEC edifice after Prof Nwosu was re-sponsored by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe on Thursday after lawmakers threw it out on Wednesday.
Abaribe had 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 lawmakers deeply divided over Nwosu’s legacy.
Senator representing Enugu West Senatorial District, Osita Ngwu acknowledged that Nwosu operated under a military regime, which restricted his ability to announce the results of the annulled election.
He argued that
“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.”
Speaking in the same line, Senator representing Abia Central, Austin Akobundu, described as most uncharitable, the dismissal by lawmakers of Nwosu’s contributions, insisting that he deserved a place in Nigeria’s hall of honour.
On the other hand, Senator Jimoh Ibrahim (Ondo South), dismissed the idea, questioning the rationale behind the Senate to honour someone who failed to announce the results of the June 12 election, insisting that “nothing should be named after him”.
For his part, Senator Cyril Fasuyi (Ekiti North), argued that history does not reward efforts, but only results.
“As long as he did not announce the result, whether under duress or not, I am against naming INEC headquarters after him,” he submitted
Also, Senator Sunday Karimi representing Kogi West criticised Nwosu for lacking the courage to speak out, while Senator Afolabi Salisu (Ogun Central), warned that immortalising Nwosu would undermine the memory of late 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 declared.
After intense deliberation, most senators rejected the motion through a voice vote.
They, however, agreed to honour him with a one-minute silence and extend condolences to his family, effectively dismissing the other prayers to immortalise the late NEC chairman.
