Once again, mischief makers, having failed in their previous attempts to malign the character and integrity of Senator Godswill Akpabio, have resurfaced with another false narrative, this time led by a so-called nameless Non-Governmental Organisation calling for him to step aside on the pretext that he allegedly benefitted from a rigged election in 2019, which led to the conviction of Prof. Peter Ogban.
Let us set the records straight and expose the hollowness of this latest charade.
1. Akpabio Did Not Win the 2019 Senatorial Election
The election being referenced by this NGO is the 2019 Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District election. In that election, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Senator Chris Ekpenyong of the PDP the winner, not Senator Akpabio. This single fact discredits the claim that Akpabio benefitted from any electoral manipulation in that contest. How does a person who lost become the “beneficiary” of a rigged election?
2. Prof. Ogban refused to testify for Akpabio
During the post-election tribunal, where Senator Akpabio challenged the outcome of the 2019 election, Prof. Ogban was expected to testify, but he refused. That is a glaring pointer that Prof. Ogban was not acting in support of or at the behest of Senator Akpabio. If he truly aided Akpabio, why wouldn’t he step forward to defend him?
3. No Court Judgement Indicted Akpabio
A thorough reading of the judgment that convicted Prof. Ogban, as well as the Court of Appeal decision, makes it abundantly clear that Senator Godswill Akpabio was not mentioned, indicted, or found to have benefitted from Prof. Ogban’s unethical actions. The manipulation identified was linked to an unnamed political figure, not Akpabio.
4. Prof. Ogban was convicted for a breach of duty, not political collusion
The conviction of Prof. Ogban was based on his failure to uphold the integrity of the electoral process in his capacity as an electoral official, a clear breach of public trust. No part of the court’s ruling suggests that he was an agent of Akpabio or working to secure a win for him.
5. Media Distortion and Political Desperation
This NGO’s call is nothing but a regurgitation of a misleading media narrative championed by already known political enemies and other Akpabio’s antagonists. Having failed woefully with the propaganda fueled by Senator Natasha and her unsubstantiated allegations, now widely discredited, these detractors are reaching for straws, like drowning men desperate to hold on to anything, even blatant falsehood.
6. Akpabio’s 2023 Victory Is Unconnected to 2019 Events
Senator Akpabio did not return to the Senate in 2019 because he lost the election. He returned in 2023, this time through a completely different electoral cycle, one in which he won convincingly and without legal challenge. That is the mandate upon which he currently serves as the president of the Senate. Attempting to link this legitimate victory with the unrelated 2019 election saga is both laughable and intellectually dishonest.
CONCLUSION:
The call for Senator Akpabio to step aside on the grounds that he allegedly benefited from a 2019 rigged election is not only baseless, it is absurd and destined to fail, just like every other attempt before it. This recycled propaganda is yet another desperate ploy by those who have refused to accept the defeat of their lies.
To those clutching at straws, let it be known: you will stumble and fall. And since you refuse to learn, you will learn the hard way. The Nigerian public is wiser now, and truth, not propaganda, will always prevail.
John Ogbodo writes from Lagos.
Leave a Reply