Court jails A’Ibom YPP gov candidate 42 years for corruption

The Akwa Ibom State governorship candidate of the Young Progressives Party (YPP), Bassey Albert, has been jailed 42 years for fraud.

Justice Agatha Okeke of a federal court in Akwa Ibom sentenced Albert on Thursday.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in 2019 arraigned Albert on six counts of allegedly taking possession of six vehicles worth N204 million when he was finance commissioner in the state.

He was said to have collected one of the vehicles from Jide Omokore, an associate of Diezani Alison Madueke, former minister of petroleum.

Omokore reportedly had dealings with the state when he offered Albert the vehicles.

Delivering judgment Justice Okeke, the presiding judge, found the senator guilty of the offences.

He was sentenced to Ikot Ekpene prison to serve his jail term.

Albert, a serving senator representing Akwa Ibom North-East district, used to be a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

He defected to the YPP in July, where he secured the party’s ticket for the 2023 governorship election.