Governor from the South-East states of Nigeria will meet President Bola Tinubu to press for a posthumous honour for the late chairman of defunct National Electoral Commission (NEC), Professor Humphrey Nwosu.
Anambra State governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo stated this on Friday at the funeral ceremony of the late chairman of the electoral umpire at the latter’s country home at Ajali, Orumba-North local government headquarters of Anambra State.
The Senate had on Thursday turned down a motion by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe to honour the chairman of the defunct electoral body.
The late Professor Nwosu superintended over the June 12, 1993 election, adjudged as Nigeria’s freest, most credible and transparent election which was won by late business mogul, Chief M. K. O. Abiola.
Former military president, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida later annulled the election, leading Nigeria to another persistent advocacy that ousted out the military in 1999.
The refusal of the motion by the Senate threw the Upper Chamber of the National Assembly into a heated debate.
Soludo assured that governors of the states in the zone would visit the president to demand national honour for Nwosu.
“We must learn to change our style and devise a style of dialogue to get what we need from the government at the centre and not through fighting and attacks,” he said.
The Anambra governor added that, “After the funeral, we the South-East governors would meet with the President over the national honour to our brother and we are sure that he will grant us that request.”
The Minister of Works, Senator Dave Umahi who represented President Tinubu at the funeral ceremony, explained that the President has so much value for Prof Nwosu.
“We are celebrating him for his profound contributions to the Nigeria democracy and we shall continue to cherish him and his achievements,” Tinubu said.
He added that, “This is because he played very vitals roles in the evolvement of Nigeria’s democracy and governance.”
For his part, Abia State governor, Dr Alex Otti described Nwosu as an icon of democracy, explaining that informed his to join Prof Soludo “to honour this great Nigerian who wrote his name in the sand of time, and I pray that at the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, it would be a triumph for our brother, Late Prof Humphrey Nwosu.”
In his message regretting the refusal by the senate to immortalize electoral body’s chairman, retired Anglican Bishop, Emmanuel Chukwuma observed that Nwosu did not annul the June 12th election which former President Babangida had owned up to have annulled.
He said, “Until Nigerians apologise to Late Abiola and late Humphrey Nwosu, their spirits will not rest.”
The outspoken retired bishop added that, “Whether you honour Prof Humphrey Nwosu or not, we shall honour our own brother, and for the position of the Senate, it’s highly unfortunate, and I know it is because Humphrey Nwosu is Igbo.”
Bishop of Aguata Diocese, Anglican Communion, Rt. Rev. Samurai Ezeofor during his sermon at the funeral, lamented what he called the hopeless fate of the nation, contending that those dreams and aspirations of the country have been shattered.
“This country has also produced men and women that would have liberated Nigeria such as late Prof Humphrey Nwosu. But today, professors rig election for school dropouts and drug barons.”
Other dignitaries present at the funeral included 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr Peter Obi; former governor of Imo State, Chief Emeka Ihedioha and Senator Victor Umeh.
