posted 6th May 2025
Nigerian Senate President Faces Calls to Resign
Abuja, 6 May 2025
Senate President Godswill Akpabio is under intense pressure to step down following the Court of Appeal’s affirmation of a three-year prison sentence for Professor Peter Ogban, convicted of electoral fraud in the 2019 Akwa Ibom North-West senatorial election. The ruling, delivered on Wednesday in Calabar, confirmed that Ogban, the returning officer, manipulated results to favour Akpabio, then a candidate for the All Progressives Congress (APC).
A coalition of 56 prominent Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), including the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), and Amnesty International Nigeria, has demanded Akpabio’s immediate resignation. The CSOs argue that the conviction casts serious doubt on the legitimacy of Akpabio’s 2019 electoral mandate, undermining his moral and legal standing to lead the Senate.
Auwal Rafsanjani, Executive Director of CISLAC, stated at a press briefing on Monday, “If Akpabio truly cares about public interest and the integrity of the Senate, he must step down. There is no way the professor involved in committing electoral fraud in 2019 in favour of Akpabio will go to jail while he sits comfortably enjoying. A crime was committed.” Rafsanjani further argued that Akpabio’s continued leadership risks eroding public trust in Nigeria’s democratic institutions, particularly ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The CSOs’ joint statement highlighted that Ogban’s conviction raises “grave concerns” about the credibility of Akpabio’s election to the 9th Senate, a term he did not complete due to his appointment as Minister of Niger Delta. “Having been a confirmed beneficiary of electoral fraud, did Senator Akpabio have the legal or moral standing to contest for a seat in the 10th National Assembly, let alone serve as its President?” the coalition questioned.
Despite the allegations, Akpabio has denied any involvement in the fraud, claiming he was a victim of electoral manipulation. In a statement issued through his Special Assistant on Media, Anietie Ekong, Akpabio described the claims as “unfounded, spurious, malicious and intended to tarnish” his image. He insisted that the 2019 election results, including 61,329 votes from his home Local Government Area of Essien Udim, were unfairly cancelled, and that Ogban’s conviction vindicates his position.
However, court evidence presented during Ogban’s trial revealed that he falsified results in Oruk Anam and Etim Ekpo local government areas, adding approximately 5,000 fake votes to Akpabio’s tally. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), led by former Akwa Ibom Resident Electoral Commissioner Mike Igini, pursued the case, which has been hailed as a landmark in the fight against electoral malpractice in Nigeria.
The CSOs commended INEC and the judiciary for their roles in securing Ogban’s conviction, urging the APC to consider a rerun or revalidation process for the Akwa Ibom North-West senatorial seat. “The judiciary has done its part. It is now up to the political leadership to show Nigerians and the world that no one is above the law—not even the Senate President,” the coalition concluded.
Akpabio, who returned to the Senate in 2023 and was elected Senate President in June of that year, has faced additional controversies, including allegations of sexual harassment, which he has also denied. As public and civil society pressure mounts, it remains uncertain whether he will heed the calls to resign or continue to defend his position.
