Professor Humphrey Nwosu, who served as Chairman of the then National Electoral Commission (NEC) from 1989 to 1993, is dead.
The NEC is now known as the Independent National Electoral Commission.
Born on October 2, 1941, Nwosu died in a hospital in Virginia, USA where he was based.
Professor Nwosu, a native of Ajalli in Orumba South Local Government Area of Anambra State, was appointed by then military President, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, and he oversaw the conduct of the June 12, 1993 Presidential election, widely regarded as Nigeria’s freest and fairest.
In the election, Chief Moshood Abiola of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) triumphed over Bashir Tofa of the National Republican Convention (NRC).
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 Ahmed Tinubu to honour Professor Nwosu for his role in conducting what is considered the most credible election in Nigeria’s post-independence history.
A consummate public administrator, academic, technocrat, and political scientist, Nwosu studied political science at the University of California at Berkeley where he earned Master’s and doctoral degrees in political science ((Magna Cum Laude) in 1973 and 1976 respectively. He subsequently returned to his native country to teach at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka where he rose to become a full-time tenured Professor.
In 1986, Nwosu was tapped by the Anambra State Government to serve as Commissioner of Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters and Commissioner of Agriculture before he landed the challenging job as Nigeria’s top electoral officer in 1989 As the Chairman of Nigeria Election Commission, Nwosu supervised the 1993 presidential election that was considered the freest election ever held in Nigeria.
When Prof. Nwosu left office in 1993 after the annulment of June 12 Presidential election, he returned to teaching at the Department of Political Science, University of Nigeria, Nsukka where he formally retired in 1999. He subsequently concentrated the next six years to community service, helping the less privileged and providing improved communal service.
Between 2000 and 2008, he devoted much of his time to reflections on his experience in running the Nigeria Electoral Commission which resulted in the book: Laying the Foundation for Nigeria’s Democracy: My Account of June 12, 1993 Presidential Election and its Annulment.
In 2009, he presented the lead paper on Nigerian Political Parties to the conference of Nigerian Political Parties held in Sokoto State, Nigeria. That same year, Prof. Nwosu’s opinion was sought after at the Federal Government of Nigeria’s Committee on Electoral Reform in Nigeria headed by then Nigeria’s Chief Justice Uwais.
Since retirement, Prof. Nwosu has been the toast of the media, often invited for commentaries and perspectives on political and social reforms in Nigeria and Africa.
Nwosu has published several articles in international journals and also authored several books including Political Authority and Nigerian Civil Service; Problems of Nigerian Administration: A Book of Reading; Introduction to Politics; Moral Education in Nigeria; How to Conduct Free and Fair Election; and the latest Laying the Foundation for Nigeria’s Democracy: My Account of June 12, 1993 Presidential Election and its Annulment.
