Mr. Ignatius Uduk, a professor of Human Kinetics at the University of Uyo, has been sentenced to three years in prison for perjury and publishing false election results during the 2019 electionThe professor, who was the returning officer in the Essien Udim State Constituency during the 2019 poll, reportedly announced and published election results that were at variance with the signed certificate of returnJustice Bassey Nkanang, State High Court in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, delivered the landmark judgement on Wednesday, February 5, 2025
Henzodaily.ng journalist Esther Odili has over two years of experience covering political parties and movements.
Uyo, Akwa Ibom state – On Wednesday, February 5, a State High Court in Uyo, Akwa Ibom state capital, sentenced a Nigerian professor to three years in prison for perjury and publishing of false election results.
UNIUYO professor jailed for electoral fraud
Professor Uduk of the University of Uyo, was found guilty of announcing and publishing false election results in the Essien Udim State Constituency election, where he served as the returning officer during the 2019 general elections.
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He was prosecuted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on charges of perjury and announcing and publishing false results.
The case marks the second high-profile conviction of a Nigerian professor for electoral fraud.
The court’s verdict on Wednesday
As reported by PremiumTimes, Mr Uduk was first arraigned in December 2020 after an arrest warrant was issued on him a previous month over repeated failures to appear in court for the commencement of his trial.
The professor had pleaded not guilty to the three charges slammed on him by INEC.
Delivering judgment on Wednesday, the judge, Justice Bassey Nkanang held that the prosecution counsel, Clement Onwuewunor, has discharged the burden of proof that the defendant published false election results when he served as a collation/returning officer.
Citing Section 123 (4) of the 2010 Electoral Act as amended, the judge held that the prosecution had established his case against the defendant.
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In the third charge of perjury, the judge cited Section 118 of the Criminal Code Law, CAP 38, Laws of Akwa Ibom State 2000.
The judge discharged and acquitted the defendant on count one—announcement of false election result—but convicted him on counts two and three: publication of false election results and perjury.
Therefore, the judge sentenced the professor to three years for count two and the same prison terms for count three. Both terms are to run concurrently.
Uduk jailed 4 years after colleague bagged similar sentence
Henzodaily.ng understands that Uduk’s conviction and sentencing came four years after his colleague, Peter Ogban, a professor of Soil Science at the University of Calabar, was jailed for three years for a similar offence.
The convict, Peter Ogban, is a professor of soil science at the University of Calabar.
He was arrested for manipulating election results to favour the All Progressives Congress (APC) when he was the returning officer in the senatorial election in Akwa Ibom north-west in 2019.
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Court jails suspended UNICAL professor, lawyer
In a similar development, Legit.ng earlier reported that the court took action against the embattled Prof. Cyril Ndifon of UNICAL, and one of his lawyers.
The professor and his lawyer were sent to the Kuje prison following an order handed down by the high court in Abuja.
Ndifon has been in a court battle over allegations of sexual harassment and interference with justice.
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Source: Henzodaily.ng