The High Court in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State has granted bail pending the determination of appeal to Ignatius Uduk, the Professor of Human Kinetics sentenced to three years imprisonment for electoral fraud.
Justice Bassey Nkanang of the High Court in Uyo had in a February 5 judgement convicted the retired University of Uyo don for electoral fraud during his engagement as Collation/Returning Officer for Essien Udim State Constituency seat in the 2019 General Elections.
The judgement was delivered in Suit No: HU/240c/2020 brought before the court by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) against Prof Uduk.
Subsequently in a ruling Thursday, on a bail application brought before the High Court In Uyo, Justice Okon Okon granted Prof Uduk bail in the sum of N2 million with two sureties in like sum resident within the court’s jurisdiction pending the appeal against his conviction.
The judge said his decision was based on the applicant’s critical health condition, forbidding Prof Uduk, however, from travelling out of the country within the period of bail, adding that he must deposit his international passport with the court.
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INEC was represented in the Court by Daniel Nwike while Prof Uduk was represented by Kalu Umeh (SAN), Sen. Ita Enang, Dr. Joe Udoinyang and George Ezegwu.
Enang, after the court ruling, said: “We are taking urgent steps to perfect the conditions of the bail, while same time working assiduously to make sure the appeal entered the Court of Appeal soon.
“The records have been completely compiled and being transmitted to the Court of Appeal for expeditious prosecution of the Appeal.
“So, we are very grateful to the Court and we are taking every step to make sure the conditions of bail are perfected and the applicant is released from custody pending the appeal.”
INEC’s legal team declined comment on the ruling.
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