KEY POINTS
- Akpabio asserts that Peter Ogban who worked for INEC did not perform any work on his behalf but instead worked against his favor in the ballot.
- The judicial authorities sentenced Peter Ogban to serve three years in detention after proving he manipulated election results in Akwa Ibom during the 2019 senatorial voting.
- The court hearing of Akpabio’s election result challenge led to a re-election competition in his local government district.
On Wednesday Senate President Godswill Akpabio declared both accusations about Prof. Peter Ogban’s involvement in rigging the 2019 Akwa Ibom North-West senatorial election to favor him as untrue.
Akpabio used his media aide Anietie Ekong to state that Ogban did not work for his camp yet he remained a victim of fraudulent electoral actions in the elections.
A soil science professor named Peter Ogban served at the University of Calabar until he received a three-year prison sentence from an Akwa Ibom State High Court because of his election record tampering in the 2019 voting process.
“I was the victim, not the beneficiary,” says Senate President
Ogban issued a statement to refute false claims about declaring Akpabio as election winner by refuting that he rendered such verdict. Losses exceeding 61,000 lawful ballots in Essien Udim where Akpabio resided led to his defeat as the court official publicly declared victory for his opponent.
Akpabio challenged the election results through the courts first at election tribunal and then approached the Court of Appeal before he obtained a ruling to hold a new contest in Essien Udim LGA. The court declared that illegal vote dismissals occurred.
Akpabio denies ties,says election tampering worked against him
Ekong affirmed Akpabio’s argument about electoral tampering that worked against him based on the tribunal’s decision and Ogban’s conviction. The Court of Appeal process would not have been necessary for Akpabio if he gained advantages from election fraud, Ekong asked rhetorically.
Akpabio received no legal evidence to show he had gained from the fraud scheme although his opponents fought his case to damage his reputation according to legal decisions. As Senate President Akpabio declared he has moved past “hatchet men and mischief makers” who attempt to distract him.
