By: Chioma Madonna Ndukwu
More than 56 civil society groups have called for the immediate resignation of Senate President Godswill Akpabio, following the affirmation of a three-year jail sentence for Professor Peter Ogban—the returning officer who manipulated the 2019 Akwa Ibom North-West senatorial election in Akpabio’s favour.
The call comes after the Court of Appeal sitting in Calabar upheld the conviction, originally delivered by a lower court, confirming that election results were falsified to ensure Akpabio’s victory.
The details were published by Guardian Newspaper, which also highlighted the broad civil society response.
In a strongly worded statement released jointly by organisations including the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA Resource Centre), Conscience for Human Rights and Conflict Resolution (CHRCR), CHRICED, SERAP, and several others, the coalition expressed outrage over what they described as an assault on democratic legitimacy.
“Nigeria’s democracy cannot thrive on tainted mandates or compromised institutions,” the statement reads, capturing the sentiment that Akpabio’s continued leadership undermines democratic norms.
The CSOs emphasized that while Akpabio may not have been criminally charged in connection to the fraud, the fact that the official who declared him winner has now been criminally convicted raises serious ethical and constitutional questions. They noted that such a judicial pronouncement casts a “permanent stain” on the integrity of his mandate.
They further argued that Akpabio should not only vacate the office of Senate President, but also reflect on whether he had any moral standing to have contested for a seat in the 10th Assembly, given the judicial outcome of his earlier election.
His current position, they said, sends dangerous signals to future elections and emboldens those who may seek to undermine democratic processes.
The groups urged Nigerian institutions to prioritize the rule of law and ensure accountability at all levels of leadership, stating that silence or inaction in the face of confirmed electoral fraud only deepens public disillusionment. They concluded by stressing that democratic leadership must be beyond reproach and built on the foundations of justice, credibility, and truth.
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