The HallowMace Foundation Africa has described the recent calls by some Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) demanding the resignation of Senate President Godswill Akpabio as “misplaced and legally unfounded.”
This followed the Court of Appeal judgment in Calabar, which upheld the conviction of Professor Peter Ogban, the Returning Officer in the 2019 Akwa Ibom North-West Senatorial Election. Some groups have argued that the ruling undermines Akpabio’s political legitimacy.
However, in a statement signed by its Executive Director, Sunny Anderson Osiebe, the Foundation emphasized that the judgment had no direct link to the Senate President, noted that he was neither convicted nor indicted in the matter.
“The court’s ruling relates specifically to the 2019 election, not the 2023 election through which Senator Akpabio emerged as Senate President. The two are legally distinct,” Osiebe said.
He added that “calls for resignation based on a conviction unrelated to the Senate President’s current mandate are not only premature but risk undermining institutional stability.”
HallowMace Foundation Africa reiterated its commitment to promoting electoral integrity and accountability but warned against conflating judicial decisions with political agendas.
“The focus should be on strengthening Nigeria’s electoral systems, not fueling speculation or promoting political opportunism,” the statement concluded.
The Foundation therefore called on civil society actors, the media, and policymakers to engage in evidence-based dialogue and prioritize democratic reforms over sensationalist narratives
