David Mark
Natives of Idoma in Benue State have welcomed the decision of the Election Petition Tribunal siting in Makurdi, which upheld the election of immediate past Senate President, David Mark, with shocks and disbelief.
The city of Otukpo, the ancestral headquarters of Idoma community literarily went cold Tuesday morning after the Justice Mosumola Dipeolu-led tribunal affirmed that Mark was elected into the Senate for the fifth term without any form of irregularities at the poll.
Mark’s opponent during the election, Comrade Daniel Onjeh of the All Progressives Congress had approached the court, seeking the annulment of the election on the ground that he was rigged out.
The court in its verdict, however, argued that Onjeh’s claims were not strong enough to nail the former military boss.
It subsequently dismissed the case.
However, the said victory did not go down well with Mark’s constituents, who saw the judgment as ‘unfair’ on the side of the Idoma people.
A visibly irked resident, who gave his name as Enenche Apochi said, “I saw this coming. Mark will always have his way as usual. Honestly, I’m not happy with the outcome of the judgment and so many Idoma people. So, Mark will remain in the Senate for 20 years? And you would ask, is there no any other qualified person from Idomaland? This is oppression in disguise.”
Another citizen who identified herself as Mrs. Alegwu said, “what do you expect? You don’t need any prophecy to tell you Onjeh would loose the case. Poor him. It is very sad, we will still remain under the leadership of Mark for another four years. But I believe, justice will surely prevail one day.”
On his part, a motorcyclist who gave his identity as Peter Abutu said, “This is a sad day for me. I and my colleagues had planned to celebrate if the victory had gone the other way, but as the saying goes, ‘man proposes, God disposes.’ Indeed, justice is blind. Very sad.”
However, another indegene who gave her name as Faith believes that Onjeh is too ‘small’ to lead Idoma people.
“Let them keep dreaming. Even if we need a new Senator in Benue South, not Onjeh. He’s too small. Maybe he should go and start from his local government. The entire Zone C is too hot for him to handle.”
However, Onjeh has insisted that the judgment was a clear miscarriage of justice. He had since vowed to press further the case in the Court of Appeal.
“Very clearly, there was a miscarriage of justice in my petition against Mark. Having turned down all offers to withdraw the case, the conspirators have placed us on higher moral pedestal over them.”
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