Court Convicts Prof. Uduk, Sentences Him To 3 Years For Electoral Malpractice

The High Court in Akwa Ibom State has sentenced Professor Ignatius Uduk, a lecturer at the University of Uyo (UNIUYO), to three years in prison for electoral fraud committed during the 2019 general elections.

In the judgment delivered on Wednesday, Justice Bassey Nkanang of Uyo High Court 5 ruled on the three-count charge brought against Uduk by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). While the court acquitted him of Count 1, he was found guilty on Counts 2 and 3 and sentenced to three years imprisonment for each count, to run concurrently.

Uduk, a Professor of Human Kinetics, was prosecuted for his involvement in electoral malpractice, a case that has drawn significant attention due to its implications for Nigeria’s electoral integrity.

His conviction follows a similar case involving another UNIUYO professor, Peter Ogban, who was also prosecuted by INEC and sentenced to three years imprisonment in 2019 for electoral offenses.

The sentencing of Uduk reinforces INEC’s commitment to holding electoral offenders accountable and serves as a warning to those who attempt to manipulate the electoral process.