Posted by By ISMAIL OMIPIDAN, Abuja on
Reactions have continued to follow the decision of the Election Petition Tribunal, which annulled the election of the President of the Senate, Senator David Mark, with the Senate President himself saying that the judgement has only provided a fertile ground for an appeal.
* Mark, deputy, others speak
Reactions have continued to follow the decision of the Election Petition Tribunal, which annulled the election of the President of the Senate, Senator David Mark, with the Senate President himself saying that the judgement has only provided a fertile ground for an appeal.
In a terse statement issued by his spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan, a copy of which was made available to Sunday Sun, Mark said 'we wish to state that the decision of the Benue State Election Tribunal as delivered in respect of the April 21 election in Benue South Senatorial District has only provided us a fertile ground to go on appeal.
We came to this conclusion because we have no iota of doubt on our mind that the good people of Benue South Senatorial District returned Senator Mark at the April 21 election.
As soon as we receive the details of the judgement, our counsels will make elaborate comments on our viewpoints, having given a notice of appeal already.
'The outcome of this matter not withstanding, we still believe that the judiciary remains the last hope of the common man and justice will still be done.
As we proceed to this next level, we urge our teeming supporters, who gave us this mandate, particularly in Benue South Senatorial District as well as Benue State in general, to remain calm and law abiding. As usual, we shall match together in confidence till the end when justice will be done.
'For the avoidance of doubt, we like to say that we have no hands whatsoever in the on-going criminal investigation being conducted on the falsification of electoral materials at the Benue State Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) office in Makurdi, Benue State."
His deputy, Senator Ike Ekweremadu on his part told Sunday Sun in a telephone interview that they are solidly behind the Senate President in this his trying moment.
Hear him 'we are solidly behind our Senate President in this his trying moment. And we are urging him to go on to challenge the decision of the lower Tribunal."
When asked what would happen if the Appeal court upholds the decision of the lower Tribunal, the deputy Senate President argued that though it was too early in the day to begin to contemplate that, he was however quick to add that 'if that happens, then I am confident that the people of the Benue South Senatorial district would quickly return him back to the Senate."
On his part, the deputy Senate Minority leader, Senator Adeleke Olorunnimbe Mamora told Sunday Sun on phone that 'well, it is a pity to the extent that the Senator David Mark has done well as the President of the Senate. He has provided the Senate with a good leadership, as a result of which he won the best Senator of the year award. As a Senator in the last Senate, and who is around in this current Senate I am quick to say without any iota of reservations that he has done well. So one can only be uncomfortable with the judgement. But he still has two windows of opportunity: one is the appeal. Two is that even if the appeal court upholds the decision of the lower tribunal, he still has chance of standing an election."
When reminded that he would have to step-aside to stand an election, which invariably means loosing his seat as the President of the Senate, Mamora again said ' that is the area of a great pity as far as I am concerned because you're right, he would have lost the seat. But be that as it may, let's see how events will unfold."
Also speaking to Sunday Sun in a telephone interview on the same issue, Senates spokesman, Senator Ayogu Eze said, 'I believe that the legal process has not terminated. Though a temporary set back, the appeal court is still there. He should therefore not allow it to affect his job as the Senate President. He should continue with the good work he is doing for the country."