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| Akpabio Responds to 2019 Election Fraud Claims |
Ogban, a soil science professor at the University of Calabar, served as the returning officer for the 2019 Akwa Ibom North-West senatorial poll. A High Court in Uyo had sentenced him to three years in prison for manipulating results in that race .
Akpabio was the APC candidate seeking reelection at that time. His team says Ogban’s falsified data cost Akpabio 61,329 votes in Essien Udim Local Government Area. Those votes were collated but never announced .
Anietie Ekong, Akpabio’s media aide, stressed that Ogban never declared Akpabio the winner. Instead, Ogban’s team joined state INEC officials to erase key vote totals. That move handed victory to Akpabio’s rival from the PDP .
Akpabio’s camp had challenged the 2019 outcome at the National Assembly Election Tribunal. They asked for a rerun in Essien Udim LGA. The tribunal and the Court of Appeal both agreed. A rerun was ordered and held in 2020 .
Despite this court victory, social media chatter linked Akpabio to Ogban’s fraud. They claimed he secretly benefited. Ekong calls those claims “unfounded, malicious attempts” to smear his boss .
After the 2019 polls, INEC launched an investigation. Barrister Mike Igini, the state Resident Electoral Commissioner, led the probe. He found evidence of result tampering in multiple LGAs. Ogban and another professor, Ignatius Uduk, faced charges .
Ogban stood accused of adding fake numbers in Oruk Anam and Etim Ekpo LGAs. He then announced inflated totals to boost one candidate. The High Court in Uyo convicted him in March 2021. He got three years behind bars and a fine .
Uduk faced a similar fate for perjury and announcing false results in Essien Udim. He also received a three-year term and a fine. These were landmark convictions against highly placed academics .
On April 30, 2025, the Court of Appeal in Calabar reviewed Ogban’s appeal. It found no flaw in the lower court’s reasoning. The panel said the evidence clearly proved deliberate result manipulation .
The appellate judges noted Ogban’s breach of public trust. As a professor, he held a duty to uphold election law. His office as returning officer carried heavy responsibility. The court said such breaches erode faith in democracy.
In Abuja on May 1, Akpabio spoke to reporters. He said he never met or engaged Ogban before the vote. He said any fake result only cost him votes. He said his legal fight proved that point.
He noted that a candidate who benefits from rigging would not ask for a rerun. He pressed that his appeal to tribunals showed he felt wronged. “Why sue if you gained from fraud?” he asked.
Dr. Amina Musa, an elections scholar at the University of Lagos, says such cases reveal deep gaps in our system. She argues stronger checks are needed at collation centers. She also calls for better training for returning officers.
Mr. Bayo Adekunle, a civil society advocate, says swift prosecution is key. He notes these convictions send a warning. But he adds that public confidence needs rebuilding through transparent processes.
Some opposition figures use the case to question APC’s ethics. They demand full disclosure of all officials who handled results. APC loyalists defend Akpabio, saying he is now vindicated.
Within Akwa Ibom, local leaders have called for calm. They say courts have spoken. They urge all sides to move on and focus on service delivery.
Legal experts predict more scrutiny of returning officers. Tech firms have offered to pilot blockchain-based result collation. INEC has said it will explore new tools to tighten security.
Voter groups urge civic education to spot and report fraud. They want hotline systems to track suspicious activity in real time.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio’s stance is clear. He rejects any link to Peter Ogban’s crime. He says he was the one who lost votes, not gained. Courts at two levels back his view.
As Nigeria heads into the next polls, these events loom large. They show the stakes of trust in ballots. They also show that the law can catch wrongdoers—no matter their rank.