The Senate on Wednesday rejected a motion seeking to immortalise a former chairman of the National Electoral Commission, now Independent National Electoral Commission, Humphrey Nwosu.

Eyinnaya Abaribe (APGA-Abia South) moved the motion under Senate Orders 41 and 51 but it faced opposition.

The motion was put to a voice vote and subsequently turned down by Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau, who presided over the session.

Expressing his frustration, Mr Abaribe questioned why the motion was considered controversial.

He said, “Mr President, I don’t see what is controversial about immortalising Humphrey Nwosu. That is our problem—what exactly is controversial about it?”

However, Senate leader Opeyemi Bamidele argued that Mr Abaribe failed to follow proper procedure, as he was late in citing another Senate order.

“Mr President, we had already passed the relevant points in our order of the day. Matters of urgent public importance and personal explanations have a specific timeframe, which has already elapsed,” Mr Bamidele explained.

He further noted that Mr Abaribe would need to reintroduce the motion formally on the next legislative day through a substantive motion.

In contrast, Yahaya Abdullahi (PDP-Kebbi) warned against setting a “dangerous precedent” by restricting when senators could raise personal explanations.

“Point of order and personal explanation can be raised at any time. We must not deny senators the opportunity to interject or intervene when necessary,” Mr Abdullahi argued.

Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau addressed Mr Abaribe directly, pointing out an inconsistency in his approach.

“When you approached me this morning, you mentioned Orders 41 and 51. You never mentioned Order 42. Now, after your motion was defeated, you are changing it to Order 42?” Mr Barau said.

The late Mr Nwosu, who conducted the annulled June 12, 1993 election, served as chairman of the National Electoral Commission (NEC) between 1989 and 1993.

Mr Nwosu passed away on October 24, 2024, aged 83.

Reports indicate that he will be buried on March 28, 2025.

(NAN)