The governorship candidate of the Young Progressives Party (YPP), Bassey Albert has been sentenced to 42 years in prison for corruption.
Albert, a former Akwa Ibom State commissioner for finance, was senteneced on Thursday by a Federal High Court sitting in Uyo, in a case prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Mr Albert, who is a serving senator representing Akwa Ibom North East District, was arraigned for receiving bribes of 12 cars worth N254 million from an oil marketer, Olajidee Omokore, during his (Albert’s) tenure (2010 – 2014) as commissioner for finance in Akwa Ibom State under the administration of former Governor Godswill Akpabio.
Albert had defected from the People Democratic Party (PDP) to the YPP months back, where he contested for the party’s governorship ticket and won.
He was seen as a major challenger to the candidate of the PDP Umo Eno, in the 2023 governorship election in Akwa Ibom State.
He has been taken to Ikot Ekpene prisons, Akwa Ibom State, to serve his prison term.
