OBA ON A SPEED LANE TO JAIL FOR ADMITTING BRIBE - UDOSEN

A member of the Young Peoples Party, standing trial before Justice Agatha Okeke of the Federal High Court sitting in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Senator Bassey Albert has admitted that he received vehicles from a contractor, Olajide Omokore while he was a Commissioner in Akwa Ibom State.

Bassey is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for money laundering and being in possession of six vehicles worth N204 million, at the instance of Omokore, whose companies executed contracts for the Akwa Ibom State government during his tenure in the state executive council.



One of the charges against the Senator reads: "That you Albert Bassey (whilst being the Commissioner for Finance, Akwa Ibom State and Chairman of Akwa Ibom State Inter-Ministerial Direct Labour Coordinating Committee (IMDLCC) sometime in December, 2012 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, indirectly took possession of a vehicle (Infinity QX 56 BP) valued at N45, 000, 000.00 at the instance of one Olajide Jones Omokore (whose companies had contracts with Akwa Ibom State Government at that material time), when you reasonably ought to have known that the said vehicle formed part of proceed of unlawful activity (to wit: corruption) and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15 (2) (d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended) and punishable under Section 15 (3) of the same Act".

A social commentator, Elder Emmanuel Udosen says by his own admission, Bassey Albert has unwittingly reversed his plea of "not guilty" to being "guilty as charged"?

Udosen responded that, “in advance climes, a smart defence Attorney will immediately switch into Plea Bargain to grant accused person a soft landing.

“Why are the lawyers called Counsel, if not to understand when to throw in the towel and counsel his client on how to lessen his punishment and still have something left of his dignity (if any)?

“If the feelers received from some unconfirmed quarters is reliable, the accused is planning to feign health breakdown and skip the next court day for a breathing space in a hospital overseas from where my "smart" brother will bid farewell to Nigeria.”
The consequence of this ploy is that the surety will forfeit the bail bond to the state while my friend will cool off under political asylum somewhere within the globe.

The surety himself is uncomfortable with this ploy as it will surely paint him in bad light and may result in a few days incarceration before the process settles down.
The court too is not ignorant of these tendencies and is awaiting any signal in that direction to cancel the bail and issue a bench warrant.

He also opined that Bassey Albert’s second option was, “the foremost calculation before now was to wait for the conviction, take an appeal, get sworn in as governor of Akwa Ibom state, and plead executive immunity for eight years. That was why he refused to enter his defence and had to be foreclosed.

“This option, however, has become the most remote option now as his chances of becoming the governor; no, not in YPP or anywhere else is closing to O,” Udosen added.

At the resumed trial of the matter on Thursday, July 14, 2022, Bassey, while being led in evidence by the lead defence counsel, Kanu Agabi, SAN, admitted receiving cars from Omokore.

According to him, he had been friends with Omokore for nine years before he joined politics but denied knowing Omokore’s companies.

He also denied being involved in the award of contracts to any of Omokore’s companies in November 2013 before he left office as the Commissioner for Finance in April 2014.

In a cross-examination by the EFCC’s counsel, E. E. Iheanacho, Bassey admitted that he was aware that contracts were awarded to companies while he was the Commissioner for Finance and the Chairman of the Inter-Ministerial Direct Labour Coordinating Committee-IMDLCC, but did not know if the said Committee he chaired received over N30billion as alleged.

The prosecutor further asked the Senator if he knew that the cars mentioned in the charge were luxury cars, Bassey affirmed that they were bullet-proof cars, but denied knowing if they were luxury cars.

Bassey was also asked if he would be surprised to know that the said Committee he chaired, made payments to Omokore’s companies during the period in question, and he responded that he would not be surprised.

Justice Okeke adjourned the matter to September 26, 2022 for adoption of written addresses.

The cars in contention include; Infinity QX 56 BP, valued at the sum of N45million; Toyota Land Cruiser V8 B, valued at the sum of N40million; Range Rover, valued at the sum of N40million; Toyota Hiace high-roof, valued at the sum of N27million, another Toyota Hiace high-roof valued at the sum of N16million and Toyota Hilux 4X4 valued at the sum of N36million.

Bassey resigned from the PDP the next day, July 15, following the failure of his cronies, Honourable Friday Iwok and 30 others, to secure victory and upturn the the PDP primaries and Wards Adhoc Delegates Congress held in Akwa Ibom State recently.


The federal high court in Abuja, presided over by Justice Obiora Egwuatu, dismissed the suit challenging the conduct of ward congresses held to elect Adhoc delegates of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, describing it as lacking in merit.

In the suit FHC/ABJ/CS/606/2022 brought by Friday Iwok and 30 others, the court also held that by SECTION 84(13) of the electoral act as amended, the Court has no power to stop or restrain the conduct of Primaries elections of political parties.

The Court held that the plaintiffs did not prove that the PDP disenfranchised any of its members and also did not have the locus standi to challenge a Congress they had failed to participate.

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