Uyo, Akwa Ibom state – The Court of Appeal in Calabar has upheld the conviction of Professor Peter Ogban, who was jailed for rigging a senatorial election in favour of Godswill Akpabio, the current president of the Nigerian Senate.
The ruling was made on Wednesday, April, reaffirming the original conviction from a State High Court in Uyo in 2021.
Ogban’s conviction upheld
Professor Ogban, a soil science lecturer at the University of Calabar and the returning officer for the 2019 general elections in the Akwa Ibom North-West District, was sentenced to three years in prison.
The charges against him stemmed from his involvement in manipulating election results in favour of Mr Akpabio, who was seeking re-election to the Senate after losing in the 2019 election.
The fraudulent election manipulation took place in two local government areas—Oruk Anam and Etim Ekpo—where Ogban was found guilty of adding fake votes to Mr Akpabio’s tally.
The court heard how approximately 5,000 fictitious votes were added in Oruk Anam to boost the APC candidate’s numbers.
“The Court of Appeal has upheld the conviction and three-year jail term for Mr Ogban, expressing displeasure at his role as a professor in this fraudulent act,” said a lawyer involved in the case.
The impact of the conviction
The appellate court’s decision was viewed as a strong statement against electoral fraud, particularly given Ogban’s position as a university lecturer.
The court expressed dissatisfaction with his actions, considering the significant responsibility and trust placed in him as a returning officer during the election.
“The prosecution proved beyond any reasonable doubt that Professor Ogban manipulated election results to favour the APC, and the court has upheld the sentence accordingly,” said Justice Augustine Odokwo, who oversaw the trial in Uyo.
Mr Ogban had earlier pleaded for mercy, but Justice Odokwo told him there was little that could be done other than allow the law to take its course.
The court’s ruling underscores the importance of maintaining electoral integrity.
Background of the election fraud
The case dates back to the 2019 general elections when Mr Akpabio, after defecting from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), sought to reclaim his Senate seat.
He lost the election to PDP’s Chris Ekpenyong, a former deputy governor of Akwa Ibom State, amid reports of violence and irregularities.
Ogban admitted during the trial that he falsified the results to favour Mr Akpabio, leading to the charge of election fraud.
INEC, the electoral body, pursued the case, which has since become one of the landmark cases on electoral malpractice in the country.
Other Notable Election Fraud Cases
Professor Ogban’s case is not isolated. Another academic, Professor Ignatius Uduk, was also convicted for similar election-related offences.
Uduk, a professor of Human Kinetics at the University of Uyo, was sentenced to three years in prison for rigging the 2019 Essien Udim State Constituency election to favour the APC candidate, Nse Ntuen, who was a close ally of Mr Akpabio.
“It is critical that we ensure electoral integrity. The system must remain free of manipulation, and these convictions are part of our ongoing fight against fraud,” said an INEC official familiar with the cases.
Although Uduk was granted bail by a State High Court in Uyo, his conviction has reinforced the determination of authorities to address electoral malpractice within Nigeria’s academic and political spheres.
