Former NEC Chairman, Architect of Nigeria’s Freest Election Passes Away in the U.S., Leaving a Legacy of Electoral Reform and Integrity
Prof. Humphrey Nwosu, the chairman of Nigeria’s National Electoral Commission (NEC) from 1989 to 1993, has passed away at the age of 83. Nwosu, who oversaw the historic and widely acclaimed June 12, 1993 election, died in a Virginia hospital in the United States.
Born on October 2, 1941, Nwosu was appointed by then-military dictator General Ibrahim Babangida to head the NEC, now known as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Under his leadership, the June 12 election, regarded as Nigeria’s freest and fairest to date, was conducted.
The election was won by Chief Moshood Abiola of the Social Democratic Party, defeating Bashir Tofa of the National Republican Convention. However, the results were controversially annulled by the Babangida regime, halting the official announcement by Nwosu’s commission after many of the results had already been made public.
Nwosu’s tenure was marked by the introduction of innovative electoral systems, including the Option A4 voting method and the Open Ballot System, which significantly boosted transparency and credibility in the electoral process.
In July 2024, the Nigerian House of Representatives called on President Bola Tinubu to immortalize Nwosu for his role in conducting what is considered the most credible election in the country’s post-independence history.
Prof. Nwosu’s legacy endures as a symbol of integrity and reform in Nigeria’s electoral history.
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