Call for Tinubu to Rename INEC HQ in Honor of Election Hero Nwosu

In an earnest appeal to President Bola Tinubu, Chief Chekwas Okorie, a respected elder statesman, has called for significant national recognition of Professor Humphrey Nwosu's contributions to Nigeria’s electoral integrity. Okorie has suggested that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) headquarters should bear Nwosu's name, in tribute to his pivotal yet largely unrecognized roles in the nation's democratic journey.

Professor Nwosu played a key role during one of Nigeria’s most momentous elections. As the chairman of the National Electoral Commission (NEC) during the contentious June 12, 1993, presidential election, he bravely announced that the election was won by Chief MKO Abiola, despite mounting political threats and an impending annulment by General Ibrahim Babangida. This period is still marked as one of Nigeria's freest and fairest elections.

Honors Denied and Hopes Renewed

While both MKO Abiola, the declared winner of this historic election, and his running mate Babagana Kingibe were posthumously awarded the Grand Commander of the Federal Republic (GCFR) and the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON) respectively, Professor Nwosu did not receive similar recognition during his life despite his instrumental role.

Recently, former Head of State, General Babangida, confirmed Abiola's victory in his memoirs, further cementing Nwosu’s actions as fundamental to the democratic process. Though Abiola's victory was acknowledged with high honors posthumously, Professor Nwosu's efforts remained overlooked until his passing, stirring a renewed call for justice for Nwosu's legacy.

Chekwas Okorie highlights that Professor Nwosu's integrity and unwavering courage were foundational to Nigeria’s progression towards democracy. Even in the face of threats to his life and substantial political pressure, he remained steadfast, documenting the election's true outcomes, which Babangida’s memoirs later confirmed as genuine.

To honor his enduring legacy, Okorie has formally urged Tinubu not only to bestow this honor on Nwosu but also to offer a national burial befitting his contributions. Naming the INEC headquarters after him would be a significant step, aligning with the prior decision by President Muhammadu Buhari to declare June 12 as Democracy Day.

Okorie's appeal seeks to ensure that Professor Nwosu’s bravery and service do not fade into obscurity but rather become a celebrated part of Nigeria’s journey towards establishing true democracy. Such acts of recognition are crucial for preserving and celebrating the history of electoral integrity in the nation.

19 Comments

Steve Williams
March 28, 2025 AT 19:52

This is long overdue. Nwosu did what no one else would do - stood up to the generals and told the truth. No medal, no parade, just silence. Now he's dead and we're talking about it? Shame.
Andy Persaud
March 30, 2025 AT 01:54

Why not just rename the whole damn country after him? So dramatic.
ANGEL ROBINSON
March 31, 2025 AT 19:15

Naming buildings after people isn't about ceremony - it's about memory. If we forget the ones who held the line when power tried to crush truth, then we're not building democracy. We're just decorating a tomb. Nwosu didn't do it for glory. But we owe him the honor he never asked for.
Deborah Canavan
April 1, 2025 AT 17:48

I mean, I get the sentiment, but I wonder if renaming a building really changes anything. Like, sure, it's symbolic, but do people actually learn from it? Or do they just walk past the plaque and keep scrolling on their phones? I think the real tribute would be fixing the system so no one else has to risk their life just to count votes fairly. But hey, maybe I'm overthinking it.
Hitender Tanwar
April 2, 2025 AT 00:02

This is just performative politics. Nigeria has bigger problems than naming buildings. Power outages, unemployment, bandits - those matter. This is distraction theater.
pritish jain
April 3, 2025 AT 20:47

The nomenclatural recognition of Professor Nwosu’s contributions is not merely a symbolic gesture; it constitutes a hermeneutic act of historical rectification. The institutionalization of his name within the architectural fabric of INEC serves as a semiotic anchor for democratic epistemology in the Nigerian polity.
Gowtham Smith
April 5, 2025 AT 15:06

Who even is this guy? Nigeria's got real heroes - soldiers, doctors, farmers. Why give a professor a building? This is elite worship. We need to stop romanticizing bureaucrats who just did their job. And don't get me started on June 12 - that election was rigged too, just by a different crowd.
Shivateja Telukuntla
April 7, 2025 AT 13:58

I respect the call, but I think we should be careful. Naming institutions after people can become political tools later. Maybe we should start with education - teach kids what Nwosu did in schools. That lasts longer than a plaque.
Ravi Kumar
April 9, 2025 AT 09:44

This man stood in the fire while others ran. He didn’t have a Twitter account or a PR team. He had a pen, a stamp, and a spine. If we don’t honor him now, we’re not just forgetting a man - we’re telling future election workers that silence is safer than truth. That’s a dangerous message to send.
rashmi kothalikar
April 9, 2025 AT 17:22

This is just another way for the elite to feel good about themselves while real Nigerians starve. Nwosu was just a bureaucrat. Let’s not turn him into a saint. The real saints are the mothers feeding kids on one meal a day. This is pathetic performative activism.
Thomas Rosser
April 11, 2025 AT 10:46

I’ve done the research. This whole thing is a CIA plant. Nwosu was never even chairman. The real guy died in ’91. This is a distraction to make people forget about the oil deals in the Niger Delta. Also, June 12 was a full moon. That’s when all elections get rigged.
Joshua Johnston
April 12, 2025 AT 06:19

Look, I don’t care about buildings. But if someone stood up to a dictator and told the truth when everyone else looked away? That’s worth remembering. We don’t need statues. We need to stop letting power rewrite history.
Kerry Keane
April 12, 2025 AT 20:09

i think this is a good idea but like… what if the building gets bombed? then what? we just rename it again? maybe we should just make a documentary or something
Elliott martin
April 13, 2025 AT 02:07

I didn't know any of this. I mean, I knew about June 12 but not about him. Why wasn't this taught in school? Why do we only find out about these people after they're gone?
Shelby Hale
April 13, 2025 AT 18:22

Oh wow. A man who did his job and didn’t sell out. How radical. Next they’ll be naming the post office after a cashier who didn’t steal from the till. This is the most dramatic thing I’ve seen since someone cried at a Starbucks.
Jeremy Ramsey
April 15, 2025 AT 14:45

Nigeria’s got so many unsung heroes. Nwosu? He’s one of them. But here’s the thing - if we’re gonna rename buildings, let’s rename them after the people who actually counted the votes in the villages, not just the chairmen. Those guys got threats too. They just never made the news.
Henry Huynh
April 17, 2025 AT 09:00

Nwosu was a hero but honestly why does this even matter anymore? Nigeria’s got bigger fish to fry. Also I heard the building’s already falling apart so maybe fix it first lol
Don McBrien
April 18, 2025 AT 15:10

This is exactly the kind of thing that gives me hope. People still care. People still remember. That’s how change starts - not with laws, but with stories. Keep telling this one.
Ed Thompson
April 20, 2025 AT 12:39

Bro. This is the kind of legacy that outlives governments. I don’t care if you’re from Lagos or Abuja or Kano - if you believe in democracy, you owe Nwosu. Not a statue. Not a plaque. A promise: never let fear silence truth again.