Court jails Nigerian Professor for altering, announcing false election results in 2019

A High Court in Akwa Ibom has sentenced a professor of soil science at the University of Calabar to three years in prison for fraudulent manipulation of the 2019 election results.

Professor Peter Ogban, who was the returning officer in the senatorial election in Akwa Ibom North-West in 2019, was also accused of publishing and announcing false results in two local government areas – Oruk Anam and Etim Ekpo, according to Sahara Reporters.

He was prosecuted at a State High Court by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for altering the results of the election in favour of the All Progressives Congress (APC) against rivals, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

In a previous court session, Ogban had told the court how results of the election were falsified to give the APC an unfair advantage over the PDP.

Godswill Akpabio, the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, was the APC candidate in the election. He was seeking a return to the Senate after defecting from the PDP, according to Sahara Reporters.

The PDP candidate, Chris Ekpenyong, a former deputy governor in Akwa Ibom State, defeated Mr Akpabio in the election which was marred by pockets of violence.