Senator Godswill Akpabio has strongly rejected claims suggesting that the jailed INEC Electoral Officer, Prof. Peter Ogban, rigged the 2019 election in his favour, calling the allegations “unfounded, spurious, and malicious.”
In a statement issued on Wednesday in Abuja by Anietie Ekong, Special Assistant on Media and Communication to the President of the Senate, Akpabio described the accusation as part of a deliberate attempt to tarnish his image. He further reiterated his previous stance from when he served as the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, rejecting the claim that Ogban manipulated the election results for his benefit.
“The claim that Ogban was convicted for rigging the election in Akpabio’s favour is nothing but a malicious lie intended to destroy his reputation,” said Ekong. “Contrary to this unfounded assertion, Akpabio was a victim of the fraudulent manipulation of the 2019 Akwa Ibom North-West Senatorial District election.”
The statement goes on to recount the circumstances leading to Ogban’s conviction. The University of Calabar professor was sentenced to three years in prison by an Akwa Ibom High Court for electoral fraud after being found guilty of manipulating election results. Akpabio, who was the APC’s candidate in the election, had his legitimate votes, including 61,329 from his home local government area of Essien Udim, fraudulently cancelled by Ogban and other officials.
Akpabio, who contested the results through the National Assembly Election Tribunal and the Court of Appeal, argued that his votes were wrongfully withheld and that Ogban’s actions ultimately contributed to the irregularities that led to a rerun election in Essien Udim LGA.
Ekong emphasized that Akpabio’s challenge of the election outcome and the subsequent court ruling invalidating the election results disproved any claims that he benefitted from the fraud. He added that Ogban’s actions were aimed at benefiting the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) rather than Akpabio.
“It is the height of mischief for anyone to claim that Akpabio, who was the victim of this electoral manipulation, was somehow involved in the rigging,” Ekong stated.
With the recent conviction of Ogban, Akpabio believes that justice is finally being served, reaffirming that those responsible for the fraud would eventually face consequences. The statement concluded with a reminder that Akpabio has since moved on to become Senate President and remains undistracted by what he described as baseless and unfounded reports from his detractors.
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