Professor Humphrey Nwosu, the man reputed to have conducted the freest General Election in Nigeria is dead. The Anambra State-born Professor reportedly died in the United States of America.
Professor Nwosu was the Chairman of the National Electoral Commission, NEC, now the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, from 1989 to 1993. She conducted the June 12, 1993 Presidential election, between Chief Moshood Abiola of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, and Alhaji Bashir Tofa of the NRC which was considered free, but became controversial, and finally, canceled by the Military regime headed by Military President, General Ibrahim Babangida.
Most of the results from States had been announced, and Abiola was well on his way to win the Presidential Election when the Military Government suddenly, and shockingly canceled the election and the results.
The outrage which greeted the cancelation rose to high heavens. It, also, forced Ibrahim Babangida to step aside as President. He was forced to announce General Sani Abacha as his successor. And, till date, it dented his image and other positive achievements of his Government.
It was General Abacha who arrested the presumed winner of the election, and threw him into detention and arraigned him for treason after he, Abiola, declared himself President.
Abiola, sadly, died in detention. His death, many insist, triggered the political problems Nigeria is still passing through.
Pressure were mounted on successive Nigerian Federal Governments to finally release the results, declare Abiola President, and honour Professor Nwosu by immotalising him for the conduct of the June 12, 1993 Election.
Sadly, Nwosu’s role was ignored. The June 12 result remain undeclared. And only Abiola has been immortalized in a couple of ways, including giving him the National Honour of GCON.
Professor Nwosu, accomplished academic, administrator, political scientist, died on Monday, October 24, 2024, in a hospital in Virginia, USA. He was aged 83 years.
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