The Court of Appeal sitting in Calabar has upheld the conviction and three-year jail sentence of Professor Peter Ogban, who was found guilty of manipulating election results in favour of Nigeria’s current Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, during the 2019 senatorial elections.
Ogban, a professor of Soil Science at the University of Calabar, served as a returning officer in the Akwa Ibom North-West Senatorial District during the 2019 general elections. The court found that he falsified results in Oruk Anam and Etim Ekpo local government areas to boost Akpabio’s vote count, including inflating APC votes by around 5,000 in one area. At the time, Akpabio, who had defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), was seeking re-election to the Senate but was ultimately defeated by the PDP candidate, Chris Ekpenyong.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) prosecuted Ogban, and the State High Court in Uyo sentenced him in 2021. Despite his plea for leniency, the judge ruled that the evidence against him was overwhelming.
The appellate court reinforced this ruling, condemning the professor’s actions and stressing the grave implications of academic professionals undermining electoral integrity.
In a related case, another academic, Professor Ignatius Uduk of the University of Uyo, was also convicted and sentenced to three years in prison for similar electoral offenses in the 2019 Essien Udim State Constituency election. He was prosecuted for announcing and publishing false results and committing perjury—all benefiting an APC candidate aligned with Akpabio. Uduk was later granted bail.
These rulings mark significant moments in Nigeria’s fight against election malpractice, particularly within academic circles entrusted with overseeing democratic processes.
