Bassey Albert

Senator Bassey Albert Akpan
Born	28 October 1972
Alma mater	University of Uyo , University of Nigeria, Nsukka
Years active	1997 - Present

Bassey Albert (born Bassey Albert Akpan, 28 October 1972)^[1] is a Nigerian politician who has been a member of the 8th Senate of Nigeria since June 2015. Previously, he was Commissioner of Finance in Akwa Ibom State from 2007 to 2014. He was first elected to the Senate in March 2015, representing Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial district. He is a member of the People's Democratic Party(PDP).

Background

Bassey Albert Akpan was born on October 28, 1972^[2] to the family of Chief Albert Robert Akpan, a successful businessman, prominent politician and philanthropist. He attended St Patrick's College, Calabar, from where he then proceeded to the University of Uyo^[2] where he obtained a BSc in Economics (Second Class Upper Division). In further pursuit of academic excellence, he obtained a Masters of Business Administration (MBA)^[3] degree from the prestigious University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

Career

He started his professional career in 1997, when he joined the International Operations and Consumer Banking/Retail Banking Unit of the United Bank for Africa (UBA). In 1999, he moved on to become Manager, Corporate Banking group at the Continental Trust Bank at the bank’s Victoria Island Lagos, Head Office. He later joined First Inland Bank Plc in 2003 as the Uyo Branch Manager, where he won the bank’s best performing branch manager award in the South-South region. He also won the award of the best performing branch manager nationwide in the bank’s midyear review of the 2004 financial year.

In 2005, he joined First City Monument Bank as Assistant Vice President, where he was the General Manager in charge of Akwa Ibom and Cross River States. He was responsible for directing and overseeing the day-to-day running of over 15 branches spread across the zone and as the Zonal Head, he articulated and developed key market penetration strategies for the bank, for sustainable market share and growth.

Political career

In 2007, when the call to public service came through his nomination as a commissioner into the Executive Council of the Akwa Ibom state government came. He accepted and was given the finance ministry portfolio to manage.

He was also the Chairman of the Inter-ministerial Direct Labour Coordinating Committee whose job was to ensure that government were completed using direct labour to save some money for the state.

In April 2009, Bassey Albert chaired the first ever Akwa Ibom state Revenue summit. The Summit with the theme: "Maximising Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) Potentials in Akwa Ibom State - A Collective Responsibility" involved participation by stakeholders from diverse socio-economic sectors in the state and was organized as part of strategic efforts to boost the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of the state.^[4]

He was instrumental in the negotiations between the state and Standard Chartered for the approval of a loan of £325.24m to execute projects in the state^[5]

In 2014, Bassey Albert declared his intention to contest for the Governorship seat of Akwa Ibom State,^[6] but after the primary he lost out to the current incumbent Mr Udom Gabriel Emmanuel.

Senate career

Bassey Albert was sworn in as a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, on 9 June 2015.^[7]

He moved a motion on the floor of the Senate to look into the state of the Ikot Ekpene - Itu - Calabar highway ^[8] which has been abandoned for years and was in state of disrepair. This has led the senate to inaugurate a committee of which he is a member.^[8] On 12 October 2015 his election was upheld by the Appeal court which returned him as the senator representing Akwa Ibom North East senatorial district.^[9] He was also appointed as the Chairman of the Senate committee on Gas Resources by the Senate President, Bukola Saraki.^[10]

His committee turned down a proposal of N200 million in the budget of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources for the preparation of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB).^[11] The committee also rejected a request for appropriation of N200 million for the review of Nigeria Gas Master-plan, describing it as unnecessary.^[12]

The senate committee on Gas headed by Senator Bassey Albert has been engaging with The NNPC and IOCs to end gas flaring in Nigeria.^[13]

He was disqualified from the senate on the 27th of February 2017 by the High Court of Nigeria who nullified his election to the Senate. On November 30, 2017 after several investigations and court hearings the Court of Appeal in Calabar overturned the ruling by the Federal High Court in Uyo, declaring Bassey Albert the winner of the primary election that was conducted in December 2014.^[14][15]

Honours and awards

• Golden Award by Lions Club International for Service to Humanity (2011).
• The Paul Harry Fellow Award by Rotary Club International in recognition of Service to Humanity (2011).
• Fellow, Nigerian Association of Teachers of Technology (2010).
• Award of Excellence, the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN) Uyo and District Society (2009).
• Award of Honour, Ibiono Ibom Welfare & Development Union (IWADU – 2009).
• Traditional Title of “ENIN IBIONO IBOM” (Elephant of Ibiono Ibom) by Ibiono Ibom Traditional Rulers Council (2009).
• Award of Chieftaincy Title of “OBONG UFORO AKWA IBOM STATE (Monarch of Prosperity of Akwa Ibom State) by the Paramount Ruler of Etinan and Chairman, Akwa Ibom State Council of Chiefs, His Majesty Edidem Dickson Umoette.
• Award of Chieftaincy Title of “IBEREDEM IDIDEP” (Rock of Ididep) by Clan Head of Ididep.
• Honorary Award of Excellence by the National Association of Akwa Ibom State Students (NAAKISS) 2013.
• Associate Member of the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN) 2013.
• Honorary Fellow of the Institute of Project Managers of Nigeria (2013).
• Fellow of the National Association of Research Development (FNARD) (2013).
• Patron of Christian Council of Nigeria (2013).
• Chairman, Akwa Ibom State Golf Association (2013)
• Golden Public Service Award by the Nigerian Society of Engineers, Uyo Branch (2013).
• Award of Excellence by the Foundation for Sound and Intervention (FASMACIN) (2013).
• Award of Honour’ presented by National Association of Ibiono Ibom Students, University of Calabar Chapter (NAIBS – UCC), (April 2014).
• Award of Excellence’ Presented by Forum of Past Student Leaders, University of Uyo, (March 2014)

References

External links

• Personal website