Bassey Albert Akpan listenⓘ CON (born 28 October 1972)[1] is a Nigerian politician who served as a member of the Senate of Nigeria from June 2015 to January 2023.
Akpan started his secondary education at St. Patrick's College, Calabar, before proceeding to the University of Uyo,[5] where he bagged a bachelor's degree in economics (Second Class Upper Division).
In further pursuit of academic excellence, he obtained a master's degree in business administration (MBA) from the prestigious University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
[6] 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.
[7] 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, he accepted and was handed the Finance Ministry to manage.
With his wealth of experience in the banking sector and background as an economist, he was able to grow the state's Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), to N15.6 billion as of the last quarter of 2013.
[11] Akpan distinguished himself in character and performance at the Senate, with the sponsorship of several bills, motions, petitions and other matters of strategic relevance, not minding the fact he was a first-timer.
[12] On 12 October 2015, his election was upheld by the appeal court which confirmed him as the senator representing Akwa Ibom North East senatorial district.
[20][21] His unparalleled performance in his first term propelled the people of Uyo Senatorial District (Akwa Ibom North-East) to overwhelmingly vote for him to return to the National Assembly as Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, in the 2019 General elections.
[24][25] Other legislative duties In May 2017, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission detained Akpan over cars that he had allegedly received as a bribe from Jide Omokore years beforehand while he was Akwa Ibom Finance Commissioner and Chairman of the State Inter-Ministerial Direct Labour Coordinating Committee.
Akpan called the detainment and investigation politically motivated and claimed to have filed a suit against the EFCC for breaching his fundamental human rights.