Professor Humphrey Nwosu, who served as the Chairman of the National Electoral Commission (NEC) from 1989 to 1993, passed away at the age of 83. He died in a hospital in Virginia, USA, on October 24, 2024. Nwosu is best remembered for overseeing the historic June 12, 1993 presidential election, widely regarded as the freest and fairest election in Nigeria’s history. The election was believed to have been won by Chief Moshood Abiola of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), who ran against Bashir Tofa of the National Republican Convention (NRC).
Nwosu's tenure as NEC chairman introduced significant innovations in Nigeria's electoral process, including the Option A4 voting system and the Open Ballot system. These measures contributed to the transparency and credibility of the election. However, despite releasing results from several states, Nwosu was ordered by the then-military government led by Ibrahim Babangida to halt the further declaration of results. The election was subsequently annulled, marking a critical moment in Nigeria's democratic history.
Born on October 2, 1941, in Ajalli, Orumba North Local Government Area of Anambra State, Nwosu was a respected academic and public administrator. He obtained his Master's and Doctoral degrees in Political Science from the University of California, Berkeley. Upon returning to Nigeria, he became a professor at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, and played a significant role in governance, serving in various capacities, including as chairman of a Federal Technical Committee on Civil Service Reforms in local governments.
In July 2024, the House of Representatives called on President Bola Tinubu to honor Nwosu for his pivotal role in conducting the June 12, 1993 election, which many still regard as the most credible election in Nigeria’s post-independence history. Despite the annulment, Nwosu's legacy as a key figure in Nigeria’s electoral development remains significant.
