The Irony of Power and Punishment: One Behind Bars, the Other Presiding ✍Ugochimereze Chinedu Asuzu In a tale thick with irony, the Nigerian judicial system has upheld the conviction of Professor Peter Ogban, a respected academic from the University of Calabar, sentencing him to three years in prison for his role in rigging the 2019 Akwa Ibom North-West senatorial election. That very election gave rise to none other than Nigeria’s current Senate President, Godswill Akpabio. The Court of Appeal, Calabar Division, on Wednesday affirmed the ruling of the Akwa Ibom High Court in Ikot Ekpene, which found Ogban guilty of manipulating and announcing falsified results - a betrayal of the sacred duty of electoral transparency. The appellate court condemned the act, emphasizing the damage such betrayal does to the fabric of democratic institutions, especially when committed by those tasked with safeguarding its processes. The conviction, a result of a dogged investigation under the leaders...
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