A university of Uyo lecturer, Professor Ignatius Uduk, who was a Collation and Returning Officer during the last general election in Akwa Ibom State, has been arraigned before a state High Court in Uyo by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
Prof Uduk was arraigned on a three count charge bothering on electoral fraud.
The accused was the Collation and Returning Officer in the Essien Udim state constituency election. He was arraigned before a state High Court in Uyo presided over by Justice Archibong Archibong on a three count charge of abandoning his assigned Ad-Hoc duties as the Collation and Returning Officer of the said election and unlawfully generating scores and entering same in form EC 8E(II) thereby committing an offence punishable under section 123 subsection 1 of the electoral act 2010 as amended.
Prof Uduk was also charged for announcing and circulating false and fake election results contrary to and punishable under section 123 subsection 4 of the Electoral Act 2010 as amended.
He was also charged for perjury, lying on oath, contrary to section 119 sub section 1 of the criminal code law, laws of Akwa Ibom State 2000.
When the matter came up before the trial judge, counsel to the accused, Samuel Ndah, applied for bail for his client but was opposed by the prosecution counsel, Kpoobari Sigalo.
Thereafter the judge adjourned the matter to December 14, 2020, for ruling on the bail application, while the defendant was to be remanded in custody till then.
Counsel to the INEC, Sigalo, said the Commission opposed the bail application by the defendant due to his questionable character.
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Prof Uduk is the second lecturer to be arranged in court by INEC in Akwa Ibom state for electoral fraud in the 2019 general elections.
Editor: Paul Akhagbemhe
