Mark set for record senate presidency re-election

Some senators-elect from the north central region of the country converged Friday on the senate press centre to address journalists on their preferred choice of senate president for the next senate session.

It turned out that they want David Mark, the incumbent senate president representing Benue South senatorial district, to lead the seventh senate. This declaration of support is coming after the ceding of the post to the zone by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

According to the senators-elect, Mr Mark has led the national assembly successfully. "He was able to introduce the ‘doctrine of necessity' to resolve a near political crisis that almost tore Nigeria (apart) last year through his doggedness and commitment to ensuring that Nigeria moves forward," said one of them, Zainab Kure (PDP - Niger South).

The endorsement of the incumbent senate president to lead the next senate by senators-elect from his region was the climax of a series of public endorsements and antics by the incumbent senate president to ensure his re-election into office, which would be a record.

Mr Mark has had his sight set on leading the next senate from way back as the last quarter of 2010; he has carefully orchestrated his manoeuvres ever since.

His first endorsement came late last year when he supposedly entered into an agreement with the president for mutual support to reclaim their respective offices. The frequency of endorsements has surged since he secured re-election to be a member of the next senate.

Mr Mark is also said to have won the favour of his party for the job following a recent power-sharing deal which doled out the senate presidency to the north central region of the country.