Senate Stalls On Nwosu Immortalization, Asks Abaribe To Refile Motion
The Nigerian Senate delayed a motion to immortalise late Professor Humphrey Nwosu, former NEC chairman, on procedural grounds during its March 26, 2025 session.
The motion, sponsored by Enyinnaya Abaribe, senator representing Abia south, sought to recognise Nwosu for overseeing the June 12, 1993 presidential election, widely regarded as one of Nigeria’s fairest polls.
Abaribe rose under Order 41 and 51 which border on personal explanation to draw the attention of the chamber to the need to immortalize the late INEC boss.
The development was contrary to the provision in the Senate Standing Order as the Senate leader, Bamidele Opeyemi contended that the order raised by Abaribe was inappropriate and the plenary had gone beyond the privilege Abaribe would have enjoyed to make senators consider it.
Earlier, the Deputy Senate President declared the point of order as controversial and expressed skepticism of its approval before allowing Abaribe to speak to the order.
Reacting to the Senate Leader’s submission, Senator representing Kebbi North, Yahaya Abdullahi insisted that Abaribe should be allowed to speak on the matter despite not getting the order correct.
Abaribe insisted that the motion to immortalize the late Nwosu wasn’t a controversial one as posited by the Deputy Senate President.
Jibrin upheld Bamidele’s position and advised Abaribe to reintroduce the motion at the next legislative session.
Beyond the senate motion, groups like the Coalition for the Immortalisation of Prof. Humphrey Nwosu, former INEC Chairman Prof. Attahiru Jega and current INEC Chairman Mahmood Yakubu have called for national honours and the renaming of INEC’s headquarters after him.
