A Federal High Court in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom capital, Thursday, convicted and sentenced the governorship candidate of Young Progressives Party, YPP, in the State, Senator Bassey Albert, to 42 years in prison for corruption.

Albert was prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

He has been taken to Ikot Ekpene prisons in the State, to serve his prison term.

Mr Albert, a serving senator representing Akwa Ibom North East District, was accused of receiving bribes of 12 cars worth N254 million from an oil marketer, Olajidee Omokore, during his (Albert’s) tenure as commissioner for finance in Akwa Ibom State.

Albert was the State Commissioner for Finance between 2010 and 2014.

The convicted senator was a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, the ruling party in the state, before he defected months ago to the YPP, where he secured the party’s ticket for the 2023 governorship election.

He was a major challenger to the PDP candidate, Umo Eno, in next year’s governorship election in the State.

Details later…