An Akwa Ibom State High Court sitting in Ikot Ekpene has sentenced Peter Ogban, a professor of soil science at the University of Calabar, to three years in prison for manipulation election results.
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.
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.