Key Points

• Professor Ogban falsified results in favor of Akpabio.

• Appeal Court says professorship is not for fools.

• Judges warn election officials to maintain integrity.

The Court of Appeal in Calabar has delivered a scathing rebuke to Professor Peter Ogban, who was convicted for falsifying election results in favor of Senate President Godswill Akpabio.

In affirming the three-year prison sentence handed down in March 2021, the court emphasized the sanctity of academic honor.

Justice Joseph Oyewole, delivering judgment on behalf of a three-man panel, described Ogban’s actions as disgraceful. “The rank of university professor is not one attained by fools,” he declared.

The judgment criticized Ogban for manipulating the 2019 senatorial election results in Oruk Anam and Etim Ekpo local government areas.

Despite his conviction, Ogban remains free, highlighting ongoing flaws in Nigeria’s criminal justice system.

Professor Peter Ogban altered official election results

Ogban, a soil science professor at the University of Uyo, served as a returning officer during the 2019 elections in Akwa Ibom North-West.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) charged him with manipulating results and announcing false outcomes.

According to witnesses, Ogban altered figures to favor Akpabio, the then-APC candidate who had defected from the PDP.

The Appeal Court emphasized that Ogban’s defense—claiming he used verbal figures instead of official documents—lacked credibility. The judges noted the numbers he submitted were deliberately skewed.

Justice Oyewole ruled that the evidence clearly supported the trial court’s conclusion that Ogban falsified the data.

Court delivers a warning to future election officials

Another member of the Appeal Court panel, Justice Peter Obiorah, criticized Ogban for betraying public trust.

He stated that Ogban’s conduct disqualified him from mercy or pity. “He chose the despicable path and must face the consequences,” he said.

Justice Obiorah warned that Ogban’s conviction should serve as a cautionary tale for anyone involved in Nigeria’s electoral process.

He stressed that anyone who undermines democratic integrity must expect serious punishment.

The court dismissed Ogban’s appeal and upheld his sentence, reinforcing that academic titles do not shield anyone from the law.