Why Is He Still in Office?”: Nigerians React as Appeal Court Upholds Conviction of Professor Who Rigged Election for Akpabio

The development has reignited questions about accountability at the highest levels of government, with many Nigerians asking: “Why is he still in office?” On Wednesday, the Court of Appeal in Calabar affirmed the three-year jail sentence handed to Professor Ogban in 2021 by a State High Court in Uyo. Ogban, a professor of soil science at the University of Calabar, was found guilty of manipulating election results in Oruk Anam and Etim Ekpo local government areas during the 2019 senatorial elections in Akwa Ibom North-West, where he served as the returning officer.

Godswill Akpabio, who was a candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the time, lost the election to Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate Chris Ekpenyong. Despite the manipulated results, the election was eventually overturned, and Akpabio ran again successfully in 2023, subsequently becoming Senate President.

A lawyer involved in the case told PREMIUM TIMES that the appellate court not only upheld the conviction but expressed strong disapproval of Professor Ogban’s unethical conduct as a university professor entrusted with electoral responsibilities. “It’s disgraceful that a person of such academic standing would engage in deliberate falsification of public trust,” the lawyer said. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which prosecuted Ogban, confirmed that he had pleaded for mercy at the time of his sentencing, but the trial judge, Justice Augustine Odokwo, emphasized that the evidence against him was overwhelming and the law had to take its course.

Reactions across Nigeria have been swift and scathing. Many citizens are questioning how Senator Akpabio, who was the direct beneficiary of the rigged election, has not faced any legal or political consequences. “It’s not just about the professor. Who was he rigging for?” one social media user posted. “This conviction confirms the election was manipulated, yet the man who benefited from it is Senate President today.

What message does this send?” Adding to public concern is the recent conviction of another academic, Professor Ignatius Uduk of the University of Uyo. Uduk was jailed for three years after being found guilty of falsifying results in favour of APC candidate Nse Ntuen during the 2019 elections in Essien Udim. He was prosecuted by INEC on charges of false result announcement, publication of false results, and perjury.

Although Uduk was recently granted bail, his conviction further underscores the disturbing pattern of electoral misconduct involving respected academics. The string of convictions has intensified calls for electoral reform and accountability, especially for political figures who benefit from electoral fraud. As the debate rages, one question remains at the center of public discourse: If those who rig elections are going to jail, why are the politicians who profit from those rigged results still in office?