“No One Is Above the Law”: SERAP, HEDA, 54 CSOs Call for Akpabio’s Resignation After Court Verdict
Senate President Godswill Akpabio has been urged to resign by a coalition of 56 Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), including the Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA) and the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP).
According to reports, this demand follows the Court of Appeal’s ruling to maintain Professor Peter Ogban’s conviction for allegedly tampering with election results to favor Akpabio.
On Wednesday, the Calabar appellate court upheld Ogban’s three-year prison term, which was first imposed after he was found guilty of tampering with the results of the 2019 Akwa Ibom North-West senatorial election in order to favor Akpabio, who was then running under the All Progressives Congress (APC).
In a sharply worded joint statement released Monday in response to the decision, the CSOs stated, “This ruling raises serious concerns about the legitimacy of Senator Akpabio’s mandate.”
“It is extremely concerning that the election that led him to the Senate has now been judicially verified to have been rigged,” they added. Such a development necessitates prompt responsibility and responsible leadership in any democracy.
The coalition contended that the conviction of the election officer who announced his victory casts doubt on the legitimacy of Senator Akpabio’s tenure, despite his repeated denials of any personal misconduct.
In order to preserve public confidence and show a dedication to democratic principles, the CSOs requested the Senate President to step down.
“This is about more than one person. Restoring public confidence in our electoral process is the goal. Ahead of the general elections in 2027, it is dangerous to allow the Senate President to continue in office in the face of such grave ethical concerns, the statement said.
They emphasized that political players now have an obligation to act in accordance with the judiciary’s courageous decision to provide justice.
In addition, given the history of the 2019 election, the coalition questioned Akpabio’s eligibility to run in the 2023 elections or to serve as Senate president.
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They posed the question, “Did Senator Akpabio have the legal or moral standing to run for a seat in the 10th National Assembly, let alone serve as its President, given that he was a confirmed beneficiary of electoral fraud in the 2019 election to the 9th Senate, which he did not even complete due to his later appointment as Minister of Niger Delta?”
The organizations praised the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for spearheading the prosecution and conviction of Ogban, especially former Akwa Ibom REC Mike Igini.
They also urged the judiciary, the National Assembly, and INEC, among other important democratic institutions, to use this ruling as a springboard to strengthen protections against electoral fraud.
The coalition made a last appeal to the APC to respect democracy by holding a rerun or revalidation election for the senatorial seat of Akwa Ibom North-West.
The judiciary has fulfilled its role. The CSOs came to the conclusion that the political leadership must now step up and demonstrate to Nigerians and the rest of the world that no one is above the law, not even the Senate President.
