Gladness Gideon
A heated debate rocked the Nigerian Senate on Wednesday as lawmakers clashed over a motion seeking to honor the late Prof. Humphrey Nwosu, former Chairman of the defunct National Electoral Commission (NEC), who conducted the historic but annulled June 12, 1993, presidential election.
The dispute erupted when Senate Minority Leader, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe (APGA, Abia South), attempted to raise a motion under Senate Standing Orders 41, 52, and later Order 42, which allows senators to make personal explanations. Abaribe’s motion sought to formally recognize and immortalize Prof. Nwosu, whose electoral innovations, including the Option A4 and Open Ballot systems, are credited with reshaping Nigeria’s democratic process.
However, Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau (APC, Kano North), who presided over the session, declined Abaribe’s request. He ruled the motion as “controversial,” citing procedural grounds and claiming that the matter had not been previously discussed with Senate leadership. Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Ekiti Central), supported Barau’s stance, insisting that the Senate had moved too far along its agenda to accommodate the motion.
In a sharp rebuttal, Abaribe argued that his motion was in line with the Senate’s rules, citing Order 1(b), which allows the Senate to regulate its procedure in matters not explicitly covered by the standing orders. “We are not under a dictatorship,” he asserted, insisting that every senator has the right to be heard when seeking to make a personal explanation.
Former Senate Leader, Senator Yahaya Abdullahi (PDP, Kebbi North), echoed Abaribe’s concerns, warning that the Senate risked slipping into authoritarian tendencies by silencing dissenting voices. “We have been managing this Senate for a long time,” he said, urging his colleagues to uphold democratic norms.
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Despite the passionate appeals, Deputy Senate President Barau stood firm, upholding the Senate Leader’s objection. He reiterated that Order 42 requires the indulgence of the Senate and the consent of the presiding officer, particularly when a motion is deemed controversial.
Senator Bamidele suggested that Abaribe reintroduce the motion on a more appropriate legislative day, a proposal the Senate ultimately adopted.
Prof. Humphrey Nwosu, remembered for his integrity and innovation in electoral reform, passed away on October 24, 2024, in the United States at age 83. He is set to be buried on March 28. Born on October 2, 1941, in Ajalli, Anambra State, Nwosu earned advanced degrees in Political Science from the University of California, Berkeley, and left an indelible mark on Nigeria’s democratic evolution.
Though his contributions remain widely respected across the political spectrum, the Senate’s inability to reach a consensus on officially honoring him underscores ongoing political divisions and procedural tensions within the chamber.