Cosmas Kekpunobi, Abuja And Godwin Akor
25 February 2008
Abuja — THE National Working Committee (NWC) of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will today hold an emergency meeting to take a position on Saturday's ruling by the Benue Election Petition Tribunal voiding the election of Senate President, David Mark.
The PDP's planned meeting comes as Mark's main rival in the April 21 election and All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) senatorial candidate, Alhaji Usman Abubakar faulted the tribunal's judgment, arguing that he should have been declared winner of the contest.
Usman, speaking to newsmen in Makurdi, Benue State capital vowed to appeal the judgment, accusing the tribunal of treating him unfairly.
But at the Wadata, Wuse, Abuja, National Secretariat of PDP, officials of the party are expected to meet today to agree on how to approach the nullification of the senate president's election.
The tribunal had on Saturday, nullified two out of the nine local governments that make up Benue South Senatorial district which Mark was declared winner of the April 21 poll. The local governments are Agatu and Okpokwu.
Acting national publicity secretary of PDP, Mr. Bayo Alao said that the party will meet today to take a common position on the next step to take on the nullification.
"I have no comment now, PDP has no comment now, but we are meeting today and after the meeting I will tell you the position of the party on the matter", he said.
But in their own reactions, Action Congress (AC) and ANPP said voiding Mark's election was a welcome development that reflected the truth about the senatorial election.
AC National Publicity Secretary, Lai Mohammed added that the nullification has vindicated "Our position that what happened in the last election is one big joke".
He contended that with the cancellation of Mark's election, making it three senatorial seats in the state that were quashed by the tribunal, there was doubt about the presidential election".
Also speaking, National Publicity Secretary of ANPP, Emma Enekwu said the nullification was a further proof that the judiciary was helping to salvage the nation's democracy.
"The nullification is a big statement that the judiciary is interested in salvaging the bad situation", he said.
However, Alhaji Abubakar, said that he would appeal the judgment of the tribunal.
He noted that the simple majority votes he had in the seven local government areas in the Benue South senatorial district qualified him to be declared winner. He said the tribunal erred in law by assuming that the people of Agatu and Okpokwu local governments would be disenfranchised if he was declared winner.
He stressed that 22.8 per cent of the total number of registered voters in the nine local governments in the district was not substantial enough to warrant the statement that came from the tribunal. He said he had 172,636 votes in the seven local governments while his opponent, David Mark, had 98,029 votes. Abubakar maintained that in Agatu and Okpokwu local governments where the election was cancelled, there were 139,000 registered voters made up of kids, almanacs, trees, houses and so on.
He however, assured himself that even with the bye-election, he already had 74,000 votes which cannot be taken away and observed that in a proper election, not more than 40,000 to 50,000 persons would vote in Agatu and Okpokwu local government areas.
"If I was not a popular candidate in the two local governments, why did PDP rig there?. Should a by-election be held, I will be magnanimous to give 20,000 to 30,000 votes to my opponent and maintain my victory", he stressed.
He said that no person apart from God assisted him and declared that he was strong enough to continue to struggle for the emancipation of Idoma people. On why he did not celebrate the cancellation of the election held in Agatu and Okpokwu local governments, Abubakar said it was not yet time for such a thing.
Meanwhile, Senate yesterday declared that the ruling of the tribunal would not stop it from going ahead with its legislative activities this week.
Instead the Upper House said the Senate President would continue to enjoy the support of the senators.
Senate is expected to resume plenary on Wednesday after a six-day break.
The Upper House, however, pledged to stand by Senator Mark in his struggle to retain his seat in the Senate.
But spokesman of the Senate, Senator Ayogu Ezeh in a television interview monitored in Abuja yesterday said that Senate would go ahead with its legislative activities notwithstanding the ruling of the tribunal.
He, however, said that senators would continue to support the senate president in his ongoing battle.
Senate president had in his immediate reaction through his special Adviser on media Kola Ologbondiyan said the ruling of the tribunal has provided a fertile ground for appeal even as he expressed confidence in the judiciary as the last bastion of the common man.
Other senators including Senator Joy Emordi have however expressed hope that the appellate court would vindicate the senate president.
Meanwhile, President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua, his Vice Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, the House of Representatives Speaker, Hon. Dimeji Bankole as well as former President, Olusegun Obasanjo have assured Senator David Mark of their unflinching support ahead of the appeal.
Also Senators weekend trooped to his (Mark) Apo Mansion, Abuja, his official residence to express their support.
President Yar'Adua, who spoke to Mark on telephone, extolled the Senate President's leadership qualities and assured him that he would rally the support of party members across board in his favour.
Dr. Jonathan also led other ministers including the Minister of Information and Communications, Mr. John Odey as well as his Youths Development counterpart, Senator Akinlabi Olasunkanmi, to Mark's official residence.
Jonathan said Mark has given the Senate character, focus, and determination for the sustenance of democracy in Nigeria .
On his part, Bankole came with his deputy, Hon. Usman Nafada as well as other principal officers of the House in a solidarity visit. He assured Mark of the support and cooperation of members of the House.
Obasanjo had also called on Mark on telephone to assure him of his support in the drive to appeal voiding of his election by the tribunal.
Also, Mark's colleagues in the Senate who thronged his residence included the deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, the Senate leader, Senator Teslim K. Folarin, his deputy, Victor Ndoma Egba (SAN), the Senate Deputy Chief Whip, Senator Mohammed Mana, Senate Minority Leader, Senator Ma'aji Maina Lawan, Deputy Minority Leader, Olorunnibe Mamora, and the Secretary-General of the Northern Senators Forum, Bala Mohammed.
Be the first to Write a Comment!
Copyright © 2008 Daily Champion. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.
AllAfrica aggregates and indexes content from over 125 African news organizations, plus more than 200 other sources, who are responsible for their own reporting and views. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica.
