How David Mark emerged as President of Nigeria Senate

The emergence of Senator David Mark as the president of the Senate, through a unanimous endorsement of the senators yesterday, was a climax of his intense lobbying and campaign since his victory in the April

elections.

For most Senators, especially the newly elected ones, being part of the unanimous election of Senator Mark was as historic as it was epochal: it was the first time since the country’s return to democratic rule in 1999 that a Senate president would not only serve out his turn but would be returned as the Senate president.

So, as early as eight in the morning, some senators and their family members trooped into the National Assembly premises and eventually into the Senate chambers to await the formal inauguration which had been scheduled for 10 a.m.

Expected, the security situation in and around the National Assembly was very tight. Since last Friday, massive security measures were put in place in and around the National Assembly ahead of the inauguration. There was a deployment of a combined team of police anti-terrorist squad, anti-bomb squad, mobile policemen, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps  as well as members of the State Security Services.

By 9:30 am, almost all the senators-elect were seated.
By 10:00 am, the Clerk of the National Assembly, Alhaji Salisu Maikasuwa, walked into the Senate chambers and walked straigt to the dais where he called the Senate to order for the business of the day.

“Distinguished Senators-elect, ladies and gentlemen” he began, “I welcome you all to the first session of the seventh Senate. I am in receipt of a letter of proclaimation of the Senate from the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, according to section 64(3) of the 1999 Constitution” after which he proceeded to read the letter.

After reading the letter, the Clerk of the National Assembly alphabetically took a roll call of all senators-elect present and all but Senator Alphonsus Igbeke were in attendance. Senator Igbeke was allegedly picked by men of the security services at the National Assembly premises, ostensibily because of the myriads of allegations and court cases against him.

At the end of the roll call, the clerk of the Senate called for the nomination of a senator-elect for the position of the Senate president.

Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba who nominated Senator David Mark for the position gave a lengthy rendition of Mark’s achievements both in the military and in politics. He concluded by saying that Senator Mark was the right person for the job. His nomination was seconded by Senator Smart Adeyemi. Senator Mark was the only candidate nominated for the position. At exactly 10:45, he stepped in to take oath of office and oath of allegiance.

After the newly elected Senate president had taken his position, the Clerk again called for the nomination for the position of the deputy president of the Senate. Senator Zainab Kure nominated the immediate past Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, for the position. Her nomination was seconded by Senator Ahmed Lawan. Again he was the only candidate nominated for the position.

With the election of the presiding officers of the Senate, the Senate president took his seat while the Clerk of the National Assembly administered the oath of allegiance and office on the senators in a batch of three states. The oath taking lasted till 1:45 when the Senate president gave his acceptance speech after which Senator George Thompson Sekibo moved a motion for the adjournment of the Senate. Senator Victor Law seconded the motion.(vanguard)