By Austin Ogwuda
Professor Humphrey Nwosu, who served as Chairman of the then National Electoral Commission (NEC) from 1989 to 1993 when the June 12 Presidential election purportedly won by Chief Moshood Abiola, MKO of the defunct Social Democratic Party (SDP) was annulled, is dead.
Report reaching The Townhall said that the 83-year old Nwosu died in a hospital in Virginia, United States of America.
He was appointed by the then Military ruler, General Ibrahim Babangida as the electoral umpire that conducted the controversial June 12, 1993 election, widely regarded as Nigeria’s freest and fairest in Nigeria.
In that presidential election, Chief Moshood Abiola of the defunct Social Democratic Party (SDP) triumphed over Bashir Tofa of the defunct National Republican Convention (NRC).
Nwosu’s Commission introduced the innovative Option A4 voting system and the Open Ballot system.
Despite releasing many election results, Nwosu was ordered to halt further announcements of the June 12 election by the Babangida regime, thus scuttling the process.
In July 2024, the House of Representatives had urged President Bola Tinubu to honour Nwosu for his role in conducting what is considered the most credible election in Nigeria’s post-independence history.
Source : Leadership Newspaper
