The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has finally arraigned Professor Ignatius Uduk of the University Of Uyo, Akwa-Ibom State on a three-count charge bordering on electoral fraud and perjury.
Professor Uduk is accused of trying to rig the 2019 Akwa Ibom North-West Senatorial District election. Several attempts by INEC to arraign him were not successful as he went into hiding.
A High Court sitting in Akwa Ibom State in November issued a Bench Warrant for his arrest.
The university don was then arraigned on Wednesday at High Court 4 in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital.
He served as a collation/returning officer in charge of Essien Udim State Constituency during the March 21, 2019 poll and is facing trial over his role in the 2019 general elections in the state.
Uduk is charged with three counts of abandoning his assigned duties as the collation and returning officer in the State House of Assembly Election and unlawfully generating scores and entering same in form EC 8e (ii).
He also accused of announcing and circulating false and fake election results and lying on oath.
When the matter came up before Justice Archibong Archibong, on Wednesday, the accused pleaded not guilty while his counsel Samuel Ndah applied for bail for his client but was opposed by Kpoobari Sigalo the prosecution counsel.
Justice Archibong, thereafter, adjourned the matter to December 14th, 2020 for ruling on the bail application.
Professor Uduk is the second lecturer to be arranged in court by INEC in Akwa Ibom State for electoral fraud in the 2019 general elections.