DID THE SENATE PRESIDENT GODSWILL AKPABIO ABANDON PROFESSOR OGBAN & PROFESSOR UDUK BEHIND BARS?: THE UNTOLD STORIES BEHIND THEIR CONVICTIONS
So much falsehood and half truths are zip zapping social media. I have restrained myself from commenting on Akwa Ibom and Nigeria’s combustible political trench wars. Not because I have nothing to say. But because I want to concentrate on Governor Umo Eno’s progressive Agenda for Akwa Ibom State and the Senate President’s patriotic legislative vision for Nigeria. These are two of our great sons who demand our support at this time. Not our clannish, political, shameless pitch blackmail, poisoned tipped cheap arrows.
But I thought I ought to respond to this one.
I just watched a video on YouTube which ignorantly and mischievously linked the Senate President to the convictions of two Professors.
To give this some context, let me start by saying the convictions of the two Professors had nothing to do with the 2023 general elections, which witnessed the convincing victory of Senator Godswill Akpabio in Ikot Ekpene senatorial district and his eventual emergence as Senate President. These convictions date back to 2019 and not 2023. It’s important I point this out.
Who is Professor Uduk?
Professor Ignatius Uduk, is a Professor of Human Kinetics at the University of Uyo. He was sentenced on February 5th 2025 to three years in prison for publishing false election results and committing perjury. He was the returning officer in a State House of Assembly election for Essien Udim constituency. It was not a senatorial election. The people who were contesting were Mr Nse Ntuen of the APC and one Ese Umoh of the PDP. The election had nothing to do with Senator Godswill Akpabio. After the elections, Professor Uduk announced Nse Ntuen of APC as the winner of that election, which many believe was the correct result. One can only feel sorry for the travails of Prof. Uduk. However any group linking his imprisonment to Senator Godswill Akpabio is being outrightly and shamelessly mischievous.
Professor Ogban:
Professor Peter Ogban was sentenced on 25th March 2021 by an Akwa Ibom High Court to three years in prison for election fraud. Ogban, a Professor of soil science at the University of Calabar, was the returning officer in the senatorial election in Akwa Ibom North-West in 2019, where Senator Godswill Akpabio (APC) and Senator Chris Ekpeyong (PDP) were both contesting. It was alleged that Professor Ogban connived with the resident electoral commissioner of Akwa Ibom State, Dr Mike Igini to falsify the results in favour of Dr Chris Ekpeyong against Senator Godswill Akpabio. Please note these were allegations. Prof. Ogban it was said transported collated results from Ikot Ekpene senatorial district to Uyo, where he mutilated the results. It was the falsification of these results which led to Senator Chris Ekpeyong being presumptuously announced the winner of that election.
WHAT HAPPENED NEXT:
After Senator Chris Ekpeyong was announced winner, Senator Godswill Akpabio pursued the matter in the courts. Despite a subpoena by the court, Professor was said to have refused to appear to defend the results he allegedly manipulated and later announced. The court then found Professor Oban guilty of flouting the electoral act. The court nullified the election and ordered fresh elections in Essien Udim Local Government Area (which had not been announced).
INEC ordered that Professor Ogban be charged for electoral fraud, manipulation and destruction of results.
PLEASE NOTE:
The result announced by Professor Oban in 2019 was in favour of Dr Chris Ekpeyong and not in favour of Senator Godswill Akpabio. Senator Akpabio was the victim and not the victor in that election. Therefore any group of persons alleging Professor Oban was acting in favour of Senator Akpabio must come up with a better argument.
After the election was found to be fraudulent by the Court , the Certificate of Return was withdrawn from Dr Chris Ekpeyong. The election was nullified and fresh elections called in Essien Udim LGA.
By this time Senator Godswill Akpabio was no longer interested in the elections because he had been sworn in as Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. It is also important to add that according to his supporters Senator Akpabio could no longer trust any electoral process in Akwa Ibom State, especially after the alleged wanton falsification of cancelled results. Therefore on the day of the election Senator Chris Ekpeyong stood unopposed.
As mentioned earlier Prof Ogban was later charged to court by INEC, he was found guilty for electoral malpractice and was sentenced to 3 years imprisonment. Please note, it was INEC and not Senator Akpabio who charged and prosecuted both Professors.
Senator Akpabio was finally vindicated and was satisfied that justice had been served. He did not abandon these Professors, they had infact abandoned the laws of Nigeria and had to pay the price for their unpatriotism.
The unfortunate revisionists of the above facts who are bent on rewriting history, ought to remember the words of George Santayana “Those who cannot (or refuse) to remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”
Ata Ikiddeh
