Only people of Benue South will determine winner of Senate rerun, says Mark

IN a veiled reference to the interest of All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftains of Tiv origin in the plot to ensure his loss at the rerun of the Benue South Senatorial District, the immediate past President of the Senate, David Mark at the weekend restated that the forthcoming election is not a contest between the Idoma and their neighbors and that only people of Benue South, who happen to be mostly Idoma will determine the outcome.

It has been widely speculated that Benue state governor, Samuel Ortom, and former Senate Minority Leader, George Akume, both APC chieftains are two of the strong backers of the APC candidate, Daniel Onjeh, in the February 20 polls to determine who will represent a constituency where Mark has sat pretty for four terms.

Mark spoke in Abuja as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chairman in Benue State, Dr. Emmanuel Agbo, said the departure from the party of immediate former deputy governor, Steven Lawani and, a former minister, Sam Odeh, as good riddance to persons who had been treacherous to the party in the past. He predicted they would show their unstable nature in the APC.

Speaking in Abuja at the weekend, Mark said: “Make no mistake about this. The rerun election is purely the affair of Benue South people. They will ultimately determine who should represent them.  Any outsider showing or attempting to influence the outcome is merely an interloper, intruder and such would  ultimately be an exercise in futility ,  Senator Mark told Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP) stakeholders who visited him in Abuja.

He said he has been energized and encouraged by the uncommon show of solidarity and support to go for the rerun from his constituents, well meaning Nigerians and the PDP stressing that “democracy will be strengthened  and serve the purpose if peoples’ wish  are held sacrosanct .”

In his remark, the Benue state, PDP Chairman Dr. Emmanuel Agbo noted that the defection of the likes of former Deputy Governor Steve Lawani, Jerry Agada , Sam Ode and Mike Onoja was not a threat to the party because they represented a vocal minority.

Agbo stated: “Those who decamped actually removed  the burden from us. . They were the ones who perpetrated anti-party activities. They betrayed the party in the past. They have eventually demonstrated their unstable nature. They would still betray the All progressive party ( APC).
It’s a matter of time .”