The Senate, on Wednesday, suspended a motion seeking to immortalise Prof. Humphrey Nwosu, a former chairman of the National Electoral Commission (now the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC).
LEADERSHIP reports that Prof. Nwosu died in October, 2024, in the United States of America at the age of 83.
The Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin, who presided over the plenary session, announced the decision to suspend the motion after most Senators present opposed its presentation.
The motion was jointly sponsored by Abia South Senator, Eyinnaya Abaribe; Abba Moro (PDP, Benue South); Orji Uzor Kalu (APC, Abia North); Austin Akobondu (PDP, Abia); Adamu Aliero (PDP, Kebbi Central), and Victor Umeh, (LP, Anambra Central).
Others were Okechukwu Ezea (LP, Enugu North); Osita Ngwu (PDP, Enugu West); Onyekachi Nwebonyi (APC, Ebonyi North); Anthony Ani; Osita Izunaso (APC, Imo West), and Patrick Ndubueze (APC, Imo North).
Under Prof. Nwosu-led electoral commission, the June 12, 1993 presidential election was held 32 years ago. It was generally regarded as Nigeria’s most freest and credible election.
However, the presumed winner of election, Chief MKO Abiola, who was the candidate of the defunct Social Democratic Party (SDP), was never installed after the military regime of General Ibrahim Babangida annulled the election.
The former military president officially announced the annulment of the election in a nationwide broadcast on June 24, 1993.
However, in his recently launched autobiography, “A Journey in Service,” Gen. Babangida, claimed that the annulment was orchestrated by the late military ruler Sani Abacha, who was then the chief of defence staff.
The former Nigerian leader insisted that he never authorised the annulment and acknowledged the election as credible.
However, despite Nwosu’s role in organising the election, opinions on his legacy remain divided. Some see him as a hero for conducting a transparent poll, while others blamed him for failing to resist its annulment.
However, attempt to present the Motion was halted by the Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, when he complained that the copies of the Motion were not available to other Senators.
When more copies of the Motion were provided by the Sergeant-At-Arms in the chamber, Senator Abaribe requested to proceed with the presentation, but the Senate Leader maintained his objection.
During the argument, Deputy Senate President Jibrin said the motion was controversial because some Nigerians see the late electoral czar as someone who truncated the June 12 election, while others see him as a hero of the same election.
“Of course, this motion is very controversial, but we are in a democracy; we will allow our colleagues to table their views, and it is left for the Senate to decide on what to do on such views.
“It is a bit controversial; some see him as someone who truncated June 12, and some see him as a hero of June 12. So, it is up to you,” the presiding officer said.
Jibrin, thereafter, put the presentation to a voice vote, and most Senators opposed the Motion.
A few minutes later, Abaribe attempted to reintroduce the motion, which led to another debate about legislative procedure between him and the Senate Leader.
Bamidele cited Senate Order 38, which outlines the order of legislative items. He argued that the session had moved past the presentation of ‘Motions of Urgent Importance’
“Personal explanation cannot be raised at any time. The only time a personal explanation can be made is if we, by our own collective consent, come under Order 1b to regulate our proceedings to the extent that our procedure is regulated by this rule book. Order 9 comes before 10, we are on 10,” he said.
Kebbi North Senator, Yahaya Abdullahi, interjected and warned against setting a precedent that could restrict Senators from raising important issues.
“Let us not raise a bad precedent. A point of order can be raised at any point in the proceedings of the Senate. Don’t make it a rule because if you do so, then you will be denying a lot of us, almost the entire Senate, any opportunity to interject when things are going wrong. It’s absolutely wrong,” he said.
Amid the argument, the deputy senate president advised Abaribe to reintroduce the motion on the next legislative day after the Rules and Business Committee has reviewed it.
“You may wish to propose your motion against tomorrow; bring it subject to the rules and business (committee), and then we will look at it again,” he said.
After the ruling, Senator Abaribe took his belongings and walked out of the Senate chamber visibly angry.
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