Akpabio: Professor Convicted For Electoral Malpractice Yet To Return To Prison

• Akpabio: Professor Convicted For Electoral malpractice Yet To Return To Prison.
• Was earlier granted bail on health grounds pending appeal.
• NCoS silent, sparking fears of political protection and bias.

Despite a court conviction and a reaffirmed sentence by the Court of Appeal, Professor Peter Ogban, who was found guilty of electoral malpractice in favour of Senate President Godswill Akpabio, is yet to return to prison more than a week after the ruling.

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EKO HOT BLOG reports that Ogban, a professor of soil science at the University of Calabar, served as the returning officer during the 2019 Akwa Ibom North-West senatorial election. On March 25, 2021, a State High Court in Uyo found him guilty of announcing manipulated results to favour Akpabio and sentenced him to three years imprisonment.

However, shortly after the sentencing, Ogban was granted bail on July 12, 2021, by Justice Pius Idiong of the State High Court in Ikot Ekpene, pending appeal. His legal team, led by Kanu Agabi (SAN), claimed the professor suffered from high blood pressure and tuberculosis and could be exposed to injustice if the appeal eventually cleared him.

Justice Idiong, in his ruling, noted that while Ogban’s medical claims were not exceptional enough, a temporary reprieve was justified pending appeal.

On April 30, 2025, the Court of Appeal sitting in Calabar affirmed both the conviction and the three-year jail term. Yet, Ogban was absent during the virtual ruling, and investigations reveal he has not returned to prison since then.

A lawyer involved in the case expressed concern over the failure of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) to ensure Ogban’s presence and immediate return to custody after the appellate court decision.

When contacted, the NCoS spokesperson in Akwa Ibom, Richard Metong, said he could not confirm whether Ogban was in any facility in the state, requesting more time to check records. As of press time, no update had been given.

Meanwhile, Ogban’s lawyers have filed a notice of appeal to the Supreme Court, hoping to overturn the decision. But legal experts say until the apex court rules otherwise, Ogban should be in custody.

Professor Convicted For Rigging Election For Akpabio Yet To Return To Prison

His prolonged absence has raised serious questions about selective enforcement of justice, especially given his link to Godswill Akpabio, a top-ranking member of the ruling All Progressives Congress and a key political ally of President Bola Tinubu.

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