Professor Humphrey Nwosu, former chairman of the National Electoral Commission (NEC), now known as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has passed away at the age of 82. Nwosu, who was born on October 2, 1941, died in a hospital in Virginia, United States.
Nwosu is best remembered for overseeing Nigeria’s historic June 12, 1993, presidential election, which is widely regarded as the country’s freest and fairest election. The election saw Chief Moshood Abiola of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) defeating Bashir Tofa of the National Republican Convention (NRC) in what many hoped would mark a new era for Nigerian democracy.
Despite pressure from the military regime of then-President Ibrahim Babangida to halt the announcement of the election results, Nwosu released many of them before the election was controversially annulled by the government.
Nwosu’s role in that pivotal moment in Nigeria’s political history has cemented his legacy as a defender of democracy, even in the face of significant opposition. His death marks the end of an era, and Nigerians will remember him for his courageous leadership during a critical period in the nation’s electoral journey.