By Praise Chinecherem
Governor of Anambra State, Prof Chukwuma Soludo has expressed profound sadness and deep sense of loss on the passing of a most illustrious Nigerian patriot and former Chairman of the National Electoral Commission (NEC), Professor Humphrey Nwosu, in the early hours of Thursday at the age of 83 in the United States after a brief illness.
In his condolence message, Governor Soludo lamented that Nigeria has lost a true umpire of electoral integrity in Prof. Nwosu, describing him as a distinguished son of Anambra State from Ajali community in Orumba North Local Government Area who brought immense pride to the State through his exemplary service to our nation.
“His tenure as NEC Chairman from 1989 to 1993 marked a watershed moment in Nigeria’s democratic journey, particularly through his innovative contributions to our electoral process,” he stated.
The Governor particularly recalled that Prof. Nwosu’s legacy has been eternally etched in Nigerian history as the architect of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, widely acknowledged as the freest and fairest election in our nation’s history.
“His game-changing innovations, including the Option A4 voting system and the Open Ballot system, earned global recognition and set new standards for electoral transparency in Africa, continuing to influence contemporary discussions on electoral best practices in Nigeria.
“I therefore, extend my solemn condolences to the family of Prof. Nwosu and the Ajali community, praying that his soul find eternal rest and urging all to take solace in knowing that his legacy of electoral integrity and democratic values cannot be forgotten,” he added.
