The Transition Monitoring Group (TMG), a coalition of over 200 civil society organisations committed to electoral accountability, has raised the alarm over what it describes as attempts by political actors to interfere with the enforcement of the court ruling against Professor Peter Ogban, a former returning officer convicted of electoral fraud during the 2019 Akwa Ibom North-West senatorial election.
Ogban was sentenced to three years in prison for falsifying election results in favour of the then All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, now President of the 10th Senate. His conviction was recently upheld by the Court of Appeal in Calabar.
In a statement issued on Wednesday and signed by its Chairman, Comrade Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, TMG expressed deep concern over emerging efforts by the political elite to shield those involved in electoral fraud from justice. The group warned that such interference poses a grave threat to the rule of law and the credibility of Nigeria’s democracy.
“We are alarmed that despite the clear ruling of the Court of Appeal upholding the conviction of Professor Ogban, there appears to be a coordinated attempt to neutralize the impact of the judgment and protect the beneficiaries of the fraud,” TMG stated.
The coalition, which had earlier called for Senator Akpabio to step down from his position as Senate President, maintained that the rulings of both the High Court and the Court of Appeal must be respected and enforced unless overturned by the Supreme Court.
“Ignoring judicial rulings in a bid to protect political interests sets a dangerous precedent. The rule of law is non-negotiable in any democratic society,” the statement read.
TMG further reiterated its demand for full accountability and transparency in the handling of electoral offences, urging the public disclosure and prosecution of all those involved in the manipulation of the 2019 senatorial election results.
“Until people begin to face real consequences for subverting the electoral process, Nigeria will continue to suffer from voter apathy and democratic decay,” the coalition warned.
The group also questioned the legitimacy of Senator Akpabio’s mandate, noting that the conviction of the returning officer who declared him winner casts a shadow over the credibility of that electoral outcome.
“The matter goes beyond individual accountability—it is about protecting the integrity of our institutions and restoring public confidence in elections,” TMG added.
TMG commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the former Akwa Ibom Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mike Igini, for their roles in pursuing the case to a logical conclusion.
The coalition called on the judiciary, INEC, and the National Assembly to resist pressure from any quarters to dilute the outcome of the judgment.
“This is not the time for silence or compromise. The judiciary has done its part. Now the political leadership, INEC, and the National Assembly must show Nigerians that no one is above the law,” the statement concluded.