Professor Humphrey Nwosu, who served as the Chairman of the National Electoral Commission (NEC) from 1989 to 1993, has passed away. Nwosu, born on October 2, 1941, died in a hospital located in Virginia, USA.
The NEC, now known as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), was under Nwosu’s leadership during one of Nigeria’s most significant electoral moments. He is best remembered for overseeing the historic June 12, 1993 presidential election, widely regarded as the freest and fairest in Nigeria’s history.
In that election, Chief Moshood Abiola of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) emerged victorious, defeating Bashir Tofa of the National Republican Convention (NRC).
Nwosu introduced several important electoral reforms, including the Option A4 voting system and the Open Ballot system, both of which were novel and aimed at improving electoral transparency.
However, as the election results were being released, Nwosu was abruptly ordered by the military regime of General Ibrahim Babangida to halt further announcements, preventing the full declaration of the final results.
In July 2024, Nigeria’s House of Representatives urged President Bola Tinubu to honor Nwosu’s legacy by immortalizing him. The lawmakers praised Nwosu for his role in conducting the June 12 election, which remains a benchmark for electoral credibility and fairness in the country’s post-independence history.
