In a resounding blow against electoral malpractice, the Court of Appeal sitting in Calabar, Cross River State, has upheld the conviction and three-year jail term of Professor Peter Ogban, who was found guilty of falsifying election results in favour of Senator Godswill Akpabio during the 2019 Akwa Ibom North-West Senatorial District contest.
Delivering its judgment on Wednesday, the appellate court affirmed the earlier ruling of the High Court in Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State, which had convicted Ogban for egregious electoral fraud. The court described his actions as a gross betrayal of public trust, especially considering his esteemed position as a university professor.
Professor Ogban, a renowned academic in Soil Physics at the University of Calabar, served as the Returning Officer during the controversial 2019 senatorial election. Investigations by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) exposed his deliberate manipulation of figures to favour Akpabio, the then-candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs.
Ogban was found guilty of falsifying scores to diminish the chances of Akpabio’s opponent, Senator Christopher Ekpenyong of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in a move that rocked Nigeria’s democratic integrity. Despite the scandal, Akpabio has consistently denied any knowledge or involvement in the electoral misconduct.
The groundbreaking conviction stemmed from a rigorous probe spearheaded by the then INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner in Akwa Ibom State, Barrister Mike Igini. Igini’s relentless pursuit of electoral accountability led to the prosecution of two professors—Ogban and his counterpart, Professor Ignatius Uduk—both of whom were accused of subverting the will of the people.
Earlier this year, in February, another shocking verdict was delivered as a State High Court in Uyo sentenced Professor Uduk of the University of Uyo to three years’ imprisonment for perjury and the publication of falsified results in the Essien Udim State Constituency election, where he also served as a returning officer. The court added a N100,000 fine to his sentence.
Uduk’s case was no less controversial. Initially arraigned in December 2020 after evading court summons, he pleaded not guilty to three charges brought against him by INEC. His trial was marred by a series of dramatic events, including the collapse of the defendant during cross-examination and allegations of judicial bias, which briefly derailed proceedings.
Despite these distractions, justice prevailed. The convictions of Professors Ogban and Uduk mark a watershed moment in Nigeria’s electoral history—two high-profile academics held accountable for breaching the sanctity of the ballot.
Analysts believe these verdicts signal a tightening noose around electoral fraudsters, especially those hiding behind the cloak of academia to influence democratic outcomes.
PIONEER NEWS 