Governorship candidate of the Young Progressives Party (YPP) in Akwa-Inom State, Bassey Albert, has decamped to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Politics Nigeria understands that Senate President Godswill Akpabio and 10 senators are expected to receive Albert into the APC fold later today, Friday, January 19.
A source said the event will take placeat Akpabio’s hometown, Ukana, Essien Udim Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom.
“The senators are already in town, they are lodging at a hotel in Ikot Ekpene. Akpabio, yesterday, had a meeting with Oba (Mr Albert is popularly known as Oba in Akwa Ibom) and his supporters who are already defecting to the APC,” the source told Premium Times.
“Akpabio is not acting on his own, it’s a directive from Tinubu that he and other senators should come over to Akwa Ibom to receive Oba,” he added.
The chairperson of the contact and mobilisation committee of Albert’s governorship campaign council, Daniel Udoh, has also confirmed the development.
Albert lost the 2023 governorship election to Governor Umo Eno, who contested on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The YPP candidate also lost the legal battle to overturn Governor Eno’s victory.
