Senate delays bid to immortalise Humphrey Nwosu, asks Abaribe to re-submit motion

An attempt by 15 senators to urge the federal government to immortalise Humphrey Nwosu, the former chairman of the National Electoral Commission (NEC), was stalled in the senate on Wednesday.

The motion, sponsored by Enyinnaya Abaribe, senator representing Abia south, sought to recognise Nwosu for overseeing the June 12, 1993 presidential election, widely regarded as one of Nigeria’s fairest polls.

Abaribe, citing order 42, highlighted Nwosu’s role in the election, which led to the declaration of MKO Abiola as the presumed winner and the eventual adoption of June 12 as Democracy Day.

“The senate notes that the late Professor Humphrey Nwosu was a former national electoral commission (NEC) chairman from 1989 to 1993,” Abaribe said.

“The senate further notes that Prof Humphrey Nwosu supervised the 1993 presidential election, aware that the courageous defence of the electoral process during the 1993 presidential election led to the famous June 12 slogan which ultimately confirmed Alhaji MKO Abiola as the winner”.

However, Opeyemi Bamidele, the majority leader, objected, noting that copies of the motion had not been distributed to lawmakers, a requirement under senate rules.

Abaribe attempted to push for consideration under “personal explanation,” arguing that senators had the right to be heard.

“Even if the senate leader says that it doesn’t follow, by the fact that a senator wants to make a personal explanation, you must give that senator a chance to make that personal explanation, we are not under a dictatorship,” Abaribe said.

But Bamidele insisted that such explanations must follow senate procedures, unless a special exception was agreed upon.

Bamidele drew the attention of the Barau Jibrin, the deputy senate president, to the fact that the chamber had already moved on to other legislative business.

“As a matter of fact, by now, we are supposed to be on a second business of the day. So, time for matters of urgent public importance, as well as time for personal explanation has already passed,” Bamidele said.

“Personal explanation cannot be raised at any time. The only time personal explanation can be raised at any time is if we, by our collective consensus, come under order 1 (b) to regulate our procedure.”

Jibrin upheld Bamidele’s position and ruled that the senate should proceed with its agenda.

The deputy senate president, however, advised Abaribe to reintroduce the motion at the next legislative session.