Oshiomhole: Nwosu died without confessing Abiola’s victory — he can’t be rewarded

Adams Oshiomhole, senator representing Edo north, has opposed the move to immortalise Humphrey Nwosu, former chairman of the defunct National Electoral Commission (NEC).

Speaking on Thursday during a senate debate on a motion sponsored by Enyinnaya Abaribe, Abia south, Oshiomhole argued that Nwosu did not deserve such recognition.

Nwosu, who chaired NEC from 1989 to 1993, died in October 2024 at the age of 83. He is set to be buried on Saturday in his home state, Anambra.

Oshiomhole accused Nwosu and the then military head of state, Ibrahim Babangida, of deceiving Nigerians who turned out to vote in the June 12, 1993 presidential election, only for the process to be annulled.

“Professor Nwosu and President Babangida fooled the 18 million Nigerians who voted. If he was afraid of the gun because we were under a dictatorship, some people might say, ‘Well, there were Nigerians who protested under the gun without minding the consequences,’” Oshiomhole said.

“After the end of Babangida’s tenure, the death of Abiola, and the birth of the new democracy that produced President Obasanjo, I would have expected Nwosu to say — either on his birthday or on a special occasion — ‘I couldn’t declare these numbers then, but now, on my record, Abiola won this election. I just wasn’t able to announce it.’

“He died without confession; he cannot be rewarded.”

Oshiomhole also said some of the contents of the motion brought to the senate by Abaribe were “manipulative”.

The former governor of Edo state attributed the annulment of the June 12, 1993, presidential election to Nwosu’s “failure” to officially declare the results, adding that the decision ultimately derailed the democratic process.

“We cannot distort history in this senate. If Professor Nwosu had the courage to announce the winner, and dare the consequences, it would have been different. When it matters most, his courage failed him,” Oshiomhole added.