Abdul-Rahman Abubakar and Turaki A. Hassan
3 July 2009
Abuja — All serving Senators of the Federal Republic who are members of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party [PDP] should be granted automatic tickets to stand for re-election in 2011, Senate President David Mark demanded yesterday on behalf of his colleagues.
Speaking at a meeting the senators had with the PDP leadership led by its national chairman Chief Vincent Ogbulafor, Mark said for the sake of stability, the party should give return tickets to the present crop of senators serving on its platform.
According to him, "After every four years, after an election, people begin to clamour for their own local government to produce the next Senator. In other words, there are people back home now in our various constituencies who are saying it is the turn of their local government to produce the next elected person. It should be the turn of the local governments who are represented here now to produce the same people in 2011."
The Senate President said unlike the Executive and the Judiciary, the Legislature is the hallmark of democracy and that it needs to be sustained with the legislators who growing in experience. Mark rated the present senators high in the discharge of their legislative functions and said they have proved to be reliable, competent and knowledgeable. The harmonious relationship between them and the Executive arm of government also attests to their competence, he said.
"This harmony, peace and cordiality are needed ingredients for development. We must sustain an experienced and stable legislature which is the needed antidote for the sustenance and growth of democracy," he said.
In his response, Prince Ogbulafor commended the cordial relationship between the Senate and the executive arm of government, adding that the issue of automatic ticket would be considered in due course.
Meanwhile, Senator Mark has condoled the family of late Senator Martins Yellowe who died yesterday at the National Hospital, Abuja after a brief illness. In a condolence message to the government and people of Rivers State, Senator Mark urged the family to take solace in the fact that Yellowe lived an eventful and accomplished life.
According to Mark, "As a consummate politician, he was outstanding. He also excelled in his medical profession. His contributions to the political development of Nigeria will remain evergreen. During his tenure in the Senate between 1999 and 2007, it is on record that Yellowe sponsored the highest number of bills. We shall surely miss him".
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