Former chairman of the National Electoral Commission (NEC), Professor Humphrey Nwosu, has passed on at the age of 83.
Nwosu, who served as Chairman of NEC from 1989 to 1993, reportedly died in a hospital in the United States.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelHe presided over the June 12 1993 presidential election widely regarded as Nigeria’s freest and fairest, but was annulled by the then military head of state, Ibrahim Babangida.
In that presidential election, Chief Moshood Abiola of the Social Democratic Party triumphed over Bashir Tofa of the National Republican Convention.
The NEC is now known as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
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 by the Babangida regime.
In July 2024, the House of Representatives urged President Bola Tinubu to honor Nwosu for his role in conducting what is considered the most credible election in Nigeria’s post-independence history.