Professor Humphrey Nwosu, the former Chairman of the then National Electoral Commission (NEC), now known as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has passed away at 83. Born on October 2, 1941, Nwosu died in a hospital in Virginia, USA.
Nwosu was appointed by the then-military ruler, General Ibrahim Babangida, and oversaw the June 12, 1993, presidential election. In that election, Chief Moshood Abiola of the defunct Social Democratic Party (SDP) triumphed over Bashir Tofa of the equally defunct National Republican Convention (NRC).
A Professor of Political Science at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nwosu faced down the military junta of General Babangida, the then-military dictator, and conducted what has been considered to date the freest and fairest election in Nigeria.
Nwosu, who hailed from Ajali in Orumba North LGA area of Anambra State, South East Nigeria, is indeed the hero of Nigeria’s democracy, even though he is hardly mentioned in June 12 celebrations.
In July 2024, the House of Representatives urged President Bola Tinubu to honor Nwosu for conducting the most credible election in Nigeria’s post-independence history.
In 2008, Nwosu published a book claiming Babangida was not responsible for annulling the election. Although some have disputed this assertion, his contributions to Nigeria’s democratic process remain unassailable.
Nwosu’s legacy is marked by his courage and commitment in conducting the 1993 free and fair elections against the whims and caprices of the military junta.
His introduction of the novel Option A4 and Open Ballot voting systems was groundbreaking and set a new standard for electoral processes in Nigeria and perhaps for many third-world countries.
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