The Court of Appeal sitting in Calabar has upheld the conviction and three-year prison sentence of Professor Peter Ogban, a lecturer at the University of Calabar, over electoral malpractice during the 2019 Akwa Ibom North-West Senatorial District election, an election that led to the victory of current Senate President, Godswill Akpabio.
In its ruling delivered on Wednesday, the appellate court affirmed the verdict of the Akwa Ibom High Court in Ikot Ekpene, which found Prof. Ogban guilty of falsifying and announcing manipulated election results.
The court strongly condemned Ogban’s actions, highlighting the dangerous precedent it sets when individuals entrusted with electoral integrity betray that trust.
The case was brought to light following a detailed investigation led by the then INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner in Akwa Ibom, Barr. Mike Igini. Under his leadership, the electoral body prosecuted both Ogban and another academic, Professor Ignatius Uduk, over election result manipulation in the 2019 polls.
Uduk, like Ogban, received a three-year prison sentence for perjury and falsifying election data.
Senate President Akpabio, whose 2019 victory is at the center of the controversy, has consistently denied any involvement in the fraud. He is yet to comment on the appellate court’s decision as of press time.
