Mixed reactions have trailed judgement by the Court of Appeal in Calabar which upheld the conviction of Professor Peter Ogban for his role in manipulating the outcome of the 2019 senatorial election in Akwa Ibom North-West District in favour of now Senate President, Godswill Akpabio.
Prof. Ogban, a soil science professor and returning officer for the election, was first convicted in 2021 by a State High Court in Uyo for announcing falsified results in two local government areas—Oruk Anam and Etim Ekpo—thereby unlawfully inflating the vote tally of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Akpabio, at the expense of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
In its judgment on Wednesday, the appellate court not only upheld the original verdict but also condemned Ogban’s abuse of academic and professional trust, describing his actions as a betrayal of public confidence in the electoral process.
PREMIUMTIMES quoted a former senior official at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), as confirming the development.
Following this, some Nigerians took to social media platforms to share their thoughts.
Lawal Ahmed wrote: “Then what’s Akpabio still doing in the upper chamber?”
Peter Johnson: “What pain me most is how professors who spent years to research and teach would come and rig elections for politicians whom some of them don’t even have complete waec result”
Dave Adode: “Good for him. Akpabio should also face the penalty. This should serve as a lesson for others. The Professor has finally dragged his own name in the mud, his family will suffer shame and he cannot enjoy the money as desired. He probably has used the money to pay lawyers. Money don go; prison don come, Akpabio dey free.”
Idowu Fasakin: “Then he should vacates the sit immediately as Senate president”
Olusegun Adeyemi: “Akpabio never contested election for the senate,it was the judge that declared him winner that’s supposed to be in JAIL.”
Edward Oguima: “It serves the professor right. A country where politicians use academicians to rig elections and then refuse to pay them their entitlements. Akpabio is walking free & even elevated to Senate President. Nigeria, my country.”
During the original trial, INEC prosecuted Ogban, admitted under oath to falsifying results by adding 5,000 fake votes in Oruk Anam to APC’s score.
Despite his plea for leniency, the trial judge, Justice Augustine Odokwo, noted that the case was a “novel” one and insisted that the law must take its course.
The 2019 election saw the PDP candidate, Chris Ekpenyong, a former deputy governor of Akwa Ibom State, defeat Akpabio in an election marred by irregularities and violence.
Akpabio later returned in 2023, contested again, and was declared winner, eventually emerging as President of the Nigerian Senate.
