The late Prof. Humphrey Nwosu, who was responsible for the legitimacy of the June 12, 1993, election that was canceled, has been requested to be recognized and honored by the Federal Government.
The appeal was made yesterday in Enugu by the Most Rev. Emmanuel Chukwuma, the retired Archbishop of Enugu Province (Anglican Communion), who also demanded that General Ibrahim Babangida (rtd), the former military head of state, be held accountable for the atrocities he admitted to inflicting against Nigeria.
Nwosu died on October 24, 2024, without being honored nationally for his patriotic service. He was the chair of the National Electoral Commission (NEC) at the time and led the historic June 12 election that Babangida canceled. His funeral is scheduled for March 28.
Archbishop Chukwuma responded to Babangida’s admission during the recent book launch by denouncing the government’s and Nigerians’ silence on Nwosu, who he claimed was instrumental in the election that is now known as Democracy Day.
Even though it has been agreed that Humphrey Nwosu led Nigeria’s most credible election, he was not honored nationally. He is now deceased. The man who handled the election was disregarded, but Kingibe and Abiola received recognition. Humphrey Nwosu has been treated unfairly by Nigeria,” Chukwuma said.
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He requested the government to erect a monument in Nwosu’s honor and demanded that he get a posthumous national award. Additionally, he demanded that the federal government be included in his funeral.
“Everything Babangida said in his book—admitting or expressing remorse that MKO Abiola had won the election on June 12—is complete nonsense! It is a huge letdown and a slight to Nigerians.
“IBB should be imprisoned for making such a statement after defrauding the entire nation, if I had my way.”
He also called Babangida’s assertion that calling off the poll was in Nigeria’s best interests a flagrant lie.
He said: “We are still unable to hold a genuine election, and Nigerians are suffering today as a result of poor leadership. Babangida’s admission is made too late, following Abiola and Nwosu’s passing. He ought to express regret to the Nigerian people and their families.
The Archbishop warned that if President Bola Tinubu’s administration did not acknowledge Nwosu’s contributions to democracy, it would be seen as part of the current administration’s efforts to undermine legitimate elections.
