South East Senators Walk Out of Senate Over failure to immortalise Humphrey Nwosu

Some senators from the South East staged a walkout from the Nigerian Senate on Thursday, March 27, 2025, after the Red Chamber rejected a motion to immortalize former National Electoral Commission (NEC) chairman, Humphrey Nwosu.

The motion, sponsored by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, proposed renaming the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) after Nwosu, but it was thrown out.

Nwosu, who presided over the June 12, 1993, presidential election annulled by the military regime of General Ibrahim Babangida, was credited with shaping Nigeria’s electoral system.

Addressing journalists, Abaribe and his colleagues insisted that President Bola Tinubu’s administration should honor Nwosu, describing him as the man who introduced election consciousness in Nigeria.

“We believe that even if it is not done today, another government will do it. Tinubu has always been seen as a June 12 warrior, and June 12 would not have existed without that election,” Abaribe said.

He also urged Nigerians to support their call for Nwosu to be recognized for his role in ensuring the historic election took place.