By Chibuike Nwabuko
In an attempt to set the records straight with bold reconciliatory gesture during the 2025 Democracy Day celebrations, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu posthumously conferred a national honour on Professor Humphrey Nwosu, the former Chairman of the National Electoral Commission (NEC), whose role in conducting the historic June 12, 1993 presidential election has long been acknowledged as a cornerstone in Nigeria’s democratic evolution.
This symbolic recognition does more than just correct a historical oversight, it squarely counters the recent contentious and malicious argument by Senator Adams Oshiomhole that Nwosu did not deserve to be honoured.
Recall that during a Senate debate last month at the floor of the senate, Oshiomhole, a former labour leader and former Edo State governor, stirred controversy when he dismissed the idea of honouring Nwosu. Standing on the floor of the Red Chamber, he argued that the late professor failed to declare the full results of the 1993 election and therefore could not be credited with Nigeria’s democratic rebirth. According to Oshiomhole, “It is morally incorrect to honour someone who lacked the courage to announce the winner of an election that he conducted.”
While his argument may seem rooted in principle, it dangerously flirts with historical revisionism and ignores the complex reality of that period. More importantly, it reveals a deeper issue in Nigerian political discourse: the tendency to frame national contributions through tribal, partisan, or ideological lenses instead of objective historical fact.
To fully assess Nwosu’s legacy, one must return to the turbulent political climate of 1993. As head of NEC, Nwosu introduced innovations that transformed Nigeria’s electoral process, including the Option A4 voting system and open ballot system, these were methods that increased transparency and public trust. It was under his leadership that the June 12 election, widely adjudged as Nigeria’s freest and fairest election till date was conducted. Though he was prevented by the military regime of General Ibrahim Babangida from officially declaring the winner, the results were unmistakably in favour of Chief Moshood Kashimawo Abiola.
The question then is not whether Nwosu declared the winner (he couldn’t), but whether he did his job credibly and with integrity. History and all sane observers answers resoundingly in the affirmative. The annulment of that election was not his making, it was an imposition of the military authority under which he operated. To deny him credit on that basis is to hold a man responsible for disobeying an autocratic command that very few in his position could have defied without personal peril.
President Tinubu’s decision to honour Nwosu posthumously is both timely and just. Tinubu, himself a political product of the June 12 struggle, understands the depth of Nwosu’s contribution. In bestowing the award, the President is affirming that justice must not be distorted by fear or flawed narratives. It is a powerful repudiation of Oshiomhole’s argument and a restoration of dignity to a man who played his part honorably under repressive conditions.
This move also aligns with Tinubu’s broader “Renewed Hope” agenda, which seeks to unify the nation by addressing historical injustices. especially those tied to Nigeria’s democratic journey. Recognizing Nwosu is not about tribal appeasement or political symbolism, it is about setting the record straight.
Oshiomhole’s remarks resonate with a strain of thinking that tends to assess national icons through regional or ideological filters. In a multi-ethnic society like Nigeria, such tendencies undermine national cohesion. We must not allow regional affiliation or political rivalry to determine the worth of a man’s contribution to national progress.
Humphrey Nwosu was an Igbo man. Abiola was a Yoruba man. The June 12 struggle was a Nigerian moment, not a tribal one. To discredit Nwosu’s role is not just an injustice to his memory, it is a disservice to truth and a betrayal of the collective aspiration of a generation that fought for democracy.
As Nigeria continues to build its democratic institutions, we must foster a culture that rewards truth and objectivity. National recognition should not be subjected to the whims of political partisanship or historical amnesia. It should be guided by a clear-eyed view of facts and courage under pressure.
President Tinubu’s award to Professor Nwosu is a clarion call for national unity, maturity, and historical integrity. It challenges us all, particularly our leaders, to rise above narrow sentiments and give honour where honour is due.
In the words of the late Chinua Achebe: “Until the lions have their own historians, the history of the hunt will always glorify the hunter.” By honouring Nwosu, Tinubu has reminded us that every actor in Nigeria’s democratic journey deserves their rightful place in the national story, especially those who acted with principle under pressure.
Let the politics rest. Let history speak. Let justice be done, even posthumously.
