The Court of Appeal sitting in Calabar has confirmed the conviction of Professor Peter Ogban, who was earlier sentenced for manipulating the outcome of a senatorial election to favour Godswill Akpabio, now president of the Nigerian Senate.
The appellate court delivered its ruling on Wednesday, April 30, reaffirming the earlier decision reached by a State High Court in Uyo back in 2021. This ruling has been described as a major moment in the campaign against election fraud in Nigeria.
Professor Ogban, a lecturer in soil science at the University of Calabar and returning officer during the 2019 general elections in the Akwa Ibom North-West Senatorial District, had been sentenced to a three-year prison term. According to Punch, his conviction came after he was found guilty of manipulating election results to favour Mr. Akpabio, who contested on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) following his defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The manipulation took place in two local government areas — Oruk Anam and Etim Ekpo — where fake votes were added to boost Akpabio’s total. The court was told that roughly 5,000 fictitious votes were introduced in Oruk Anam alone.
Speaking on the judgment, a lawyer who took part in the case stated, “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.”
The ruling was interpreted as a stern warning to those entrusted with overseeing elections, especially academics who serve as returning officers. The appellate court condemned Ogban’s actions, given the level of responsibility attached to his role.
Justice Augustine Odokwo, who presided over the initial trial in Uyo, noted, “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.”
During his earlier trial, Ogban had pleaded for leniency, but the judge maintained that justice must be served. As reported by Vanguard, Justice Odokwo told him there was little option but to allow the law to run its course.
This case stems from the 2019 general elections when Akpabio, having defected to the APC, sought to retain his Senate seat. He eventually lost the election to PDP’s Chris Ekpenyong, a former deputy governor of Akwa Ibom State, amidst allegations of irregularities and electoral violence.
During his trial, Ogban admitted to falsifying results to benefit Akpabio, leading to the charges of election fraud. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) pursued the matter, which has since become one of Nigeria’s notable cases of electoral malpractice.
Professor Ogban’s conviction is not an isolated incident. Another lecturer, Professor Ignatius Uduk of the University of Uyo, was also convicted for tampering with election outcomes. Uduk, who specialised in Human Kinetics, was handed a three-year jail sentence after being found guilty of rigging the 2019 Essien Udim State Constituency election in favour of APC candidate Nse Ntuen, a known associate of Akpabio.
An official of INEC, commenting on both cases, said, “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.”
Although Uduk was later granted bail by a State High Court in Uyo, the case highlighted the determination of electoral and legal authorities to root out malpractice within Nigeria’s academic and political institutions.
