A former military governor of old Kaduna State, Colonel Abubakar Dangiwa Umar (rtd), has mourned the death of Humphrey Nwosu, a former chairman of the National Electoral Commission (NEC), who died in a US hospital on Thursday.

Nwosu, a professor, who oversaw the historic June 12, 1993, election-widely regarded as Nigeria?s freest and fairest, died at the age of 83.

Col. Umar in a statement on Saturday said with the death of Nwosu, Nigeria had lost ?a great citizen, an intellectual giant, an honest and dedicated public servant.?

The colonel recalled how he met the late Professor at the Aso Rock Presidential villa, Abuja.

The statement reads: ?I received the painful news of the passing of Professor Humphry Nwosu.

?I met Prof Nwosu at the Presidential villa,Aso Rock, Abuja during the June 12 Presidential election crisis. I found him to be an honest, dutiful and self-effacing INEC Chairman.

?He supervised the conduct of the freest and fairest Presidential election on June 12, 1993 and fought tenaciously and valiantly to avert the annulment of the results of that election even at the risk of his life.

?He lost that battle and watched helplessly as his work was trashed on 26 June,1993 when the military annulled the election results.

?I bear witness that Professor Nwosu vehemently disagreed with that decision and honourably retire in protest.

?Nigeria has lost a great citizen,an intellectual giant,an honest and dedicated public servant. May God have mercy on his soul. May He grant the fortitude to bear his loss,? he added. (Daily Trust)

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