Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
An Akwa-Ibom State High Court, sitting in Uyo, has granted the prayer of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to issue a Bench Warrant for the arrest of a University of Uyo Don, Prof Ignatius Uduk, accused of involvement in electoral fraud during the 2019 general elections.
The statement signed by the Head of Department (HOD) Voter Education, Odaro Aisien, and made available to newsmen in Abuja, revealed that the Bench Warrant was as a result of the refusal of the Professor to obey the Order of the Court.
According to the statement; “INEC, after series of unsuccessful attempts to serve the Professor with the summons to appear before the court in Charge No HU/240c/2020, had filed a motion for Substituted Service which was granted on November 16, 2020.
“The Order was subsequently served on the office of the Vice Chancellor, University of Uyo, on November 17, 2020, directing the defendant to appear before the court on November 18, 2020.
“However, when the accused did not still appear before the Court, the matter was adjourned to November 23, 2020.
Issuing the Bench Warranty for the arrest of Prof Uduk upon the application of the Counsel to INEC, Kpoobari Sigalo, the Presiding Judge, Hon Justice A E Archibong, frowned upon the refusal of the Professor to obey the Order of the Court.
“He adjourned the matter to December 9, 2020 when the police is expected to produce the defendant in court,” the statement from INEC read.
Explaining further on the litigation, the Electoral Commission noted that; “Prof Ignatius Uduk is accused of declaring election results collated not by him, but by undisclosed individuals who only handed them to him to announce.
“He admitted to this fact to the Commission in a signed handwritten (not typed) statement. However, in another deposition, this time in a typed written statement on Oath, Prof Uduk disavowed his earlier handwritten statement and surprisingly stood as a witness against the Commission, to defend the same election results he did not collate but we’re given to him by undisclosed persons,” INEC explained.
Disclosing its anger against Professor Uduk, the election management body, noted that; “The Commission had last week arraigned another Professor who was similarly involved in the electoral fraud during the 2019 general elections.
Professor Uduk who should have been arraigned alongside his colleague is feared to be on the run.”