A High Court in Uyo has granted bail to Prof. Ignatius Uduk, a university lecturer convicted of electoral fraud, pending the outcome of his appeal. The ruling was delivered on Thursday by Justice Okon Okon, who cited the professor’s deteriorating health condition as a key factor in the decision.
Prof. Uduk, who was sentenced to three years in prison for his role in electoral fraud during the 2019 general elections, was granted bail in the sum of ₦2 million. The court also mandated two sureties who must reside within its jurisdiction. Additionally, he was ordered to surrender his international passport and is prohibited from leaving the country during the bail period.
The case, with charge number HU/240c/2020, was brought against Prof. Uduk by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which accused him of manipulating results while serving as the Collation and Returning Officer for the Essien Udim State Constituency seat during the 2019 elections. INEC was represented by Mr. Daniel Nwike, while Prof. Uduk’s defense team included Chief Kalu Umeh (SAN), Sen. Ita Enang (OFR), Dr. Joe Udoinyang, and George Ezegwu.
Speaking to journalists after the ruling, Sen. Ita Enang expressed satisfaction with the court’s decision and assured that efforts were underway to meet the bail conditions to secure Prof. Uduk’s release for medical treatment while awaiting the appeal process.
Prof. Uduk’s conviction stemmed from his involvement in electoral fraud during the 2019 elections, where he was accused of announcing and publishing false results, thereby compromising the integrity of the electoral process. His trial began in December 2020 after an arrest warrant was issued due to his repeated failure to appear in court.
The case drew comparisons to a similar incident involving Prof. Peter Ogban, a Soil Science lecturer at the University of Calabar, who was sentenced to three years in prison in 2021 for falsifying election results in favor of then-APC candidate and current Senate President, Godswill Akpabio. Akpabio has consistently denied any involvement in the fraud.
Prof. Uduk’s trial faced several delays, including his absence from court, changes in defense counsel, allegations of judicial bias, and a health-related collapse during cross-examination. The presiding judge, Justice Bassey Nkanang, ultimately convicted him on two counts—publishing false election results and perjury—while acquitting him on the charge of announcing false election results.
Justice Nkanang sentenced Prof. Uduk to three years in prison for each charge, with the sentences to run concurrently. He ruled that the prosecution, led by Clement Onwuewunor, had proven beyond reasonable doubt that Uduk manipulated election results in his capacity as a collation and returning officer.
With the approval of his bail, Prof. Uduk now awaits the appeal process, as his defense team pushes for an expedited hearing at the Court of Appeal.
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