INTERVIEW
Dr. Adakole Elijah, Director, Media and Publicity, David Mark Campaign Organisation, in this interview says the Idoma nation is united in ensuring that immediate-past Senate president David Mark is re-elected in the forthcoming senatorial election in Benue South Senatorial District.
What are the chances of David Mark in the re-run election?
The chances of Senator Mark are very bright and this could be seen from his numerous achievements. It is as a result of the avalanche of achievements that our traducers hated him with a passion. They accused him of converting every good thing coming to Benue State to his senatorial district. These are mostly projects and employment opportunities. All the Idoma sons and daughters employed or recruited into Federal ministries, parastatals, agencies and para-military organisations were not his biological children. They are people from Benue South Senatorial District.
Prominent Idoma political leaders have said the re-run is for the survival of the Idoma people. Why do they say that?
It is a truism that the election is not being seen as a personal luggage of Senator David Mark. It is being viewed as a collective burden of all well-meaning people of Benue South Senatorial District. This is because the battle is being rightly viewed as being powered by external forces. And so, it has become a battle for the survival of the entire Benue South. It is a battle for the generality of the entire Benue South. It is a fight for self-assertiveness on the part of our people (the Idoma and Igede). It is a quest towards the extrication of the minority Idoma people in Benue State from marginalization. The election is seen as an opportunity to stamp our authority and independence. The election is not all about Mark but a fight against a political potentate who wants to eclipse the people of Benue South by foisting his surrogate on us. And this surrogate opposed the nomination of Chief Audu Ogbe as Minister to the admiration of his sponsors who joyously celebrated the cancellation of the University of Health Sciences, Otukpo. This is an institution that would have tremendously tackled the unemployment menace confronting the youths in Benue South.
What happened during the March 28 National Assembly elections in Benue South?
There was no known problem in any part of Benue South Senatorial District. The election took place on March 28 and ended at the collation centre in Otukpo. At the end, Senator Mark was declared winner by the Returning Officer. All the party agents endorsed the result after the total tabulation of all the results from the nine local government areas that make up the senatorial district. There was peace, there was tranquillity during and after the election. The result and the declaration reflected the true situation on ground.
How do you assess the verdict of the Appeal Court then?
I viewed the judgment with mixed feelings. First, it is a human judgment that cannot withstand the judgment of the Almighty God, no matter the coloration. Human judgment will come and go, but the judgment of Almighty God will last till eternity. For us in Benue South, it is a moment of trial. It is a moment where our corporality could be subjected to test. I say this because the Appeal Court judgment was aimed at degrading us. And that was why there were heavy jubilations in some political camps in Benue State. The judgment if critically subjected to Supreme Court scrutiny cannot stand.
-Vanguard
