Court Upholds Sentence of Professor for Rigging Election Results in Favor of Senator Akpabio

 The Court of Appeal in Calabar has upheld the conviction of Professor Peter Ogban for electoral fraud, affirming his three-year prison sentence for manipulating election results in favour of Senator Godswill Akpabio. This ruling, delivered on April 30, 2025, reinforces the earlier judgment made by the Akwa Ibom State High Court in 2021, which found Ogban guilty of announcing falsified results during the 2019 senatorial election for Akpabio, a prominent member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the current President of the Nigerian Senate.

                                                                   Background of the Case

Professor Ogban, who serves as a lecturer in Soil Science at the University of Calabar, was the returning officer for the Akwa Ibom North-West District election. He was convicted for altering results in two local government areas—Oruk Anam and Etim Ekpo—to favour Akpabio over his primary opponent, Christopher Ekpenyong of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) prosecuted Ogban after investigations revealed his involvement in the fraudulent manipulation of election results, which undermined the integrity of the electoral process.

                                                   Court's Ruling and Implications

The appellate court's decision not only upheld Ogban's conviction but also condemned his actions as a serious breach of trust, given his position as an academic. The court emphasized the importance of integrity in the electoral process and the detrimental impact of such misconduct on democracy. Following the ruling, a lawyer involved in the case highlighted the court's disapproval of Ogban's role in the electoral fraud, noting that it sets a precedent for accountability among public officials and academics involved in electoral processes.

                                                                         Related Cases

This case is part of a broader crackdown on electoral fraud in Nigeria. In a related development, another professor, Ignatius Uduk from the University of Uyo, was also sentenced to three years in prison for perjury and publishing false election results during the same election cycle. These convictions signal a significant effort by Nigerian authorities to address electoral malpractice and restore public confidence in the electoral system.

The affirmation of Professor Ogban's conviction serves as a critical reminder of the legal consequences of electoral fraud in Nigeria. As the country continues to grapple with issues of electoral integrity, these rulings may encourage stricter enforcement of electoral laws and promote a culture of accountability among those entrusted with overseeing the democratic process.