Akpabio Named In Election Result’s Manipulation Scandal As Court Jails Professor

Godswill Akpabio, the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, has been reportedly named in an election result manipulation scandal which has landed a university professor in jail.

BIGPENNGR understands the development is coming following a ruling of Ikot Ekpene High Court which sent the university Don to prison in Akwa Ibom State on Thursday.

The court, according to Daily Post report sentenced the University of Calabar professor, Peter Ogban, to three years in prison for announcing false election result during the 2019 general elections.

The professor of science who served as the returning officer in the senatorial election in Akwa Ibom North-West Senatorial District in 2019, was said to have manipulated results from Oruk Anam and Etim Ekpo Local Government Areas.

The prosecutor, Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, told the court that Prof Ogban altered the results of the election to favour the All Progressives Congress, APC, against its main rival, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

The result was manipulated in favour of the APC candidate, Godswill Akpabio who was seeking reelection to the Senate.

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

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

Akpabio was subsequently appointed as Minister of Niger Delta Affairs by President Muhammadu Buhari.