Fifty-six civil society organisations (CSOs) including Amnesty International Nigeria have called for the immediate resignation of Godswill Akpabio, the President of the Senate, following the Court of Appeal’s affirmation of the conviction of Professor Peter Ogban, the returning officer in the 2019 Akwa Ibom North-West senatorial election, for electoral fraud.
The CSOs, in a joint statement on Monday, said the development has unravelled serious moral questions and undermines the legitimacy of Akpabio’s senatorial mandate, as well as public trust in Nigeria’s democracy.
Ogban, a professor of soil science at the University of Uyo, was prosecuted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for manipulating the results of the election held in Akwa Ibom’s Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District. He was found guilty of falsification and sentenced to three years’ imprisonment and a fine of N100,000 by the State High Court in Uyo in 2021—a verdict now upheld by the Court of Appeal.
The CSOs said: “We are deeply disturbed by the implications of the judgment on the integrity of the electoral process that brought Senator Godswill Akpabio to the Senate. It is now judicially established that the results were manipulated in his favour by a returning officer who has been tried, convicted and sentenced for the crime. The question now is not just about legal technicalities but about ethical responsibility and the credibility of public office.”
The statement continued: “Senator Akpabio has denied personal involvement in the act of manipulation. Nevertheless, as the direct beneficiary of the fraud, he cannot be absolved of institutional and moral responsibility. The position of Senate President is one of immense national significance. For the sake of democratic integrity and public trust, we call on Senator Akpabio to step aside while this matter is given the transparency and accountability it deserves.”
READ MORE: It’s Campaign of Calumny Against me; Jailed INEC Official Ogban Didn’t Rig Election for me – Akpabio
The CSOs stated that “This is not about politics or partisanship. It is about the principles of democratic accountability. Nigerians deserve a Senate leadership free from ethical baggage and judicial controversy. Senator Akpabio’s continued leadership under these circumstances is an affront to the sanctity of the ballot and the democratic process,” the statement added.
Senator Akpabio has, however, disavowed any association with Professor Ogban, stating that claims suggesting Ogban acted on his behalf as an electoral officer in Akwa Ibom are baseless, false, and malicious, aimed solely at damaging his reputation.
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