Umeh argued that the Senate leadership should have allowed the federal lawmakers to debate the motion.
By Kehinde Okeowo
Senator representing Anambra Central Senatorial District, Victor Umeh, has frowned at the decision of his colleagues to reject a motion seeking the immortalization of former Chairman of the defunct National Electoral Commission (NEC), late Prof. Humphrey Nwosu.
The motion, raised under matters of urgent public importance by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe and co-sponsored by members of the minority caucus primarily from the South-East, was aimed at recognising Nwosu’s contributions and courageous defense of the democratic electoral process during the 1993 presidential elections.
Prof. Nwosu as the Chairman of the defunct electoral body, conducted the June, 1993 presidential election which produced late MKO Abiola as winner.
Many Nigerians and political analysts have since adjudged the poll as the most credible election conducted in Nigeria.
However, Deputy Senate President, Barau Jibrin, while presiding over a session recently, explained that the motion was a contentious one, citing divided public opinion on Prof. Nwosu’s role in the annulled June 12, 1993, presidential election.
The motion was eventually put to a voice vote, but the ‘nays’ had the day, effectively rejecting the proposal.
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Reacting to his colleagues decision to reject the motion while speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Wednesday, Senator Umeh described what happened at the red chamber as “very undemocratic”.
He said, “I think it is a question of people not being fair to a man who has done so well and instead of giving him accolade, we want to be uncharitable to him even unto death.
“This motion came today at the most timely moment because he will be buried on Friday, two day way.
“So, there is no way we cannot talk about his contributions in the parliament, those who have opposing views will say that the man should not be immortalised, those who say that he should be immortalized should say their views. Shutting down the motion the way it was done this morning is very undemocratic.”
Umeh argued that the Senate leadership should have allowed the lawmakers to debate on the motion, saying that such motions are debated every other day in the Senate irrespective of how anyone feels about the motion.
The lawmaker also said that the rejection of the motion is unfair to the late Prof. Nwosu whom he said gave his all for Nigeria.
