INEC arraigns professor for 2019 election fraud

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Akwa Ibom has arraigned a Nigerian professor, Ignatius Uduk for his involvement in election fraud during the 2019 elections in the state.

Mr. Uduk, who was ad hoc official of INEC is a professor of Human Kinetics and teaches in the Department of Physical and Health Education, University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

He was the returning officer for the Essien Udim State Constituency election in 2019.

A state High Court judge in Uyo last month issued a warrant of arrest on the professor after he repeatedly failed to appear for the commencement of his trial, Today.ng said.

“My Lord, the accused person is in court voluntarily, not on the basis of the arrest warrant,” a lawyer to Mr Uduk told the court on Wednesday, as the professor pleaded not guilty to a three-count charge which includes unlawful generation of election results and lying under oath.

Mr. Uduk, wearing a maroon coloured suit, stood in the dock.

The courtroom was filled with reporters and other interested members of the public.

At the request of Mr Uduk’s lawyer, the court stood down the case for 30 minutes.

Another professor, Peter Ogban, in the same university, was similarly arraigned for election fraud in November, for allegedly trying to help a former senator, Godswill Akpabio, win re-election.

Mr Akpabio, who is now the minister of Niger Delta Affairs, lost the election to the Peoples Democratic Party’s candidate, Chris Ekpenyong, a former deputy governor of Akwa Ibom State.