Nigerian Professor Sentenced to Three Years in Prison for Electoral Fraud
A State High Court in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, has sentenced Professor Uduk of the University of Uyo to three years in prison for perjury and publishing false election results during the 2019 general elections.
The court found Professor Uduk guilty of announcing and publishing fabricated results in the Essien Udim State Constituency election, where he served as the returning officer. The case was prosecuted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which also secured an additional fine of N100,000 against the convicted academic.
This ruling marks the second high-profile conviction of a Nigerian professor for electoral malpractice. In 2021, Professor Peter Ogban, a former lecturer at the University of Calabar, was similarly sentenced to three years in prison for manipulating the Akwa Ibom North-West Senatorial election results in favor of then-APC candidate Godswill Akpabio, who is now the Senate President. Akpabio has denied any involvement in the fraud.
The convictions of both academics stem from legal actions initiated by former INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Akwa Ibom, Mike Igini, who pursued the cases until his retirement in 2022.
Professor Uduk was first arraigned in December 2020 after repeatedly failing to appear in court, prompting a warrant for his arrest. He pleaded not guilty to the three charges brought against him, but his trial faced multiple delays due to a change in legal representation and health-related incidents, including collapsing in the dock during cross-examination. At one stage, he accused the presiding judge of bias, leading to a reassignment of the case, which was eventually returned to the same judge.
Originally scheduled for January 29, the judgment was postponed to February 5 after the defendant and his lawyer failed to appear in court, citing medical issues. Following a prosecution request, Justice Bassey Nkanang revoked Uduk’s bail and issued a fresh arrest warrant. The professor was later brought into court in a wheelchair, dressed in a brown cassock, before proceedings resumed.
In delivering the judgment, Justice Nkanang ruled that the prosecution, led by INEC’s legal counsel Clement Onwuewunor, had successfully proven that Uduk knowingly published false election results while serving as a collation and returning officer. Citing Section 123 (4) of the 2010 Electoral Act (as amended), which stipulates that publishing false election results is punishable by up to 36 months in prison, the court found him guilty.
Additionally, the judge referenced Section 118 of the Criminal Code Law, CAP 38, Laws of Akwa Ibom State 2000, which defines perjury as knowingly giving false testimony in a judicial proceeding.
While the court acquitted Uduk of the charge of announcing false election results, he was found guilty of publishing false results and committing perjury. He was sentenced to three years in prison for each count, with the sentences running concurrently.
The case highlights the growing legal consequences for electoral fraud in Nigeria, reinforcing the commitment of INEC and the judiciary to ensuring electoral integrity.
thedailycourierng news
Reference
Nigerian Professor Sentenced to Three Years in Prison for Electoral Fraud
“I agree with your points, very insightful!”