New Telegraph

INEC opposes jailed UNICAL lecturer’s bail application

 

Tony Anichebe, Uyo

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has opposed a bail application pending appeal which was filed by convicted Professor Peter Ogban at a High Court sitting in Ikot Ekpene Division, Akwa Ibom State.
It would be recalled that the Professor of Soil Science, University of Calabar, (UNICAL) Cross River State, who had acted as the Collation/Returning officer during the 2019 National Assembly elections, was sentenced to 36 months imprisonment by the Akwa Ibom High Court 2 sitting in Ikot Ekpene on March 25, 2021.
He was found guilty of manipulating and falsifying the scores of election results in Oruk Anam and Etim Ekpo local government areas in favour of the All Progressives Congress (APC) party.
The application for bail was filed on June 17, 2021,  through his Counsels led by Chief Kanu Agabi,(SAN) and supported by a 16-paragraph affidavit.
At the hearing of the bail application on Thursday Chief Agabi, told the court that the application for bail pending appeal is based on heath grounds as stated in paragraphs 9, 10 and 11 of the affidavit.
He urged the court to use it discretion and mercy to grant bail to the Professor, adding that the applicant does not have any criminal record before his conviction.
Lawyer to the INEC, Clement Onwuenwunor, who had filed a 21-paragraph counter-affidavit, argued that before the bail is granted the applicant in the case must first demonstrate exceptional circumstances or unusual reasons before the court should exercise discretion in his favour.

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