Humphrey Nwosu


Humphrey Nwosu was a Nigerian civil servant who was chairman of the National Electoral Commission. Appointed by President Ibrahim Babangida, he held office from 1989 to 1993.

Early life and career

Nwosu was born on 2 October 1941. He became a professor of political science at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
Nwosu served in the cabinet of Samson Omeruah, governor of the old Anambra State, where he helped traditional rulers to gain staffs of office, receive salaries and settled intra and inter community land disputes.
He also served as chairman of a Federal Technical Committee on the application of Civil Service Reforms in the local government service.
Nwosu was appointed NEC chairman in 1989 after his predecessor Eme Awa resigned due to a disagreement with Ibrahim Babangida.

12 June 1993 elections

Nwosu conducted the 12 June 1993 election which was seen as the freest and fairest election, in which Chief Moshood Abiola won. Nwosu's commission introduced the novel Option A4 voting system and the Open ballot system.
Nwosu had released many of the election results when he was ordered to stop further announcement by the military regime.
In 2008 he published a book in which he claimed that Babangida was not to blame for annulling the election.
The book was severely criticized for failing to accurately account for what happened.

Death

Nwosu died in Maryland, United States on 20 October 2024, at the age of 83.