A High Court in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, has granted bail to Professor Ignatius Uduk, who was sentenced to three years in prison for electoral fraud. The decision comes as he awaits the outcome of his appeal.
Professor Uduk, a retired lecturer from the University of Uyo, was convicted on February 5 for his role as a Collation/Returning Officer in the 2019 General Elections, where he was found guilty of manipulating election results for the Essien Udim State Constituency.
Delivering a ruling on Thursday, Justice Okon Okon approved Uduk’s bail request on health grounds, setting bail at ₦2 million with two sureties residing within the court’s jurisdiction. The court, however, barred him from leaving the country and ordered him to surrender his international passport.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had prosecuted Uduk, while his defense team, led by Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Kalu Umeh, along with Senator Ita Enang, Dr. Joe Udoinyang, and George Ezegwu, worked on securing his release.
Following the ruling, Senator Ita Enang expressed gratitude to the court, stating, “We are taking urgent steps to perfect the bail conditions while ensuring that the appeal is entered into the Court of Appeal without delay.”
INEC’s legal representatives, however, declined to comment on the development.
