By Paul Mumeh
Whichever side of the divide one is, the story of the former President of the Senate, Senator David Alechenu Bonaventure Mark, his military and political career, albeit his steady rise to the top cannot be written completely in one book. This is just an attempt, a line in the intermediate chapter of the still unfolding narrative of Mark’s highly eventful sojourn on earth.
History is replete with such narratives of great men and women who in spite of their backgrounds made it to the very top of their chosen professions or careers.
We are familiar with the cliché “from grass to grace”, of people rising above the circumstances of their births to become great personalities in the society. Senator Mark unarguably belongs to this class. He rose from a nondescript Otukpo rural community in the present day Benue state to the zenith of his profession.
As a soldier, he belonged to the elite class and was indeed successful, rising to the rank of a General before he left the crispy “khaki” uniform for the “Agbada”. As a politician, he made his mark to the admiration of both friends and foes. Till date, he remains the only Nigerian living or dead who has contested Senatorial election six times and won in the same corresponding number.
It was therefore not surprising, when the red chamber of the National Assembly came alive as Senator Mark took the oath of office for the sixth time as the representative of Benue South Senatorial zone. It was an unusual scenario in a Senate divided along party lines for all to be really excited and indeed gave him a standing ovation. Mark was Senate President for the sixth and seventh Senate (2007-2011 and 2011 -2015) when he demonstrated considerable maturity in handling his colleagues and national issues. He was dubbed “Mr. Stability” for stabilizing the Senate and the National Assembly that was hitherto a theatre of crisis.
It is instructive to note that the return of Mark for the 6th record time took a long and tortuous path and was often laden with frustrations and intrigues. To begin with, the reasons given for the nullification of the March 28, 2015 Senatorial election was not worth the paper it was written on. Many wondered why the judiciary could not resolve the mere discrepancy in date between the day election was held and the date which appeared on the result sheet. Whereas it could have been an oversight on the part of the electoral officials for no fault of Mark but it cost him an avoidable re-run and the test of the will of the Idoma people.
The return of Mark reinforced his mystique often criticised as a mere fluke sustained by his military background and the strong loyalty to the then ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). That election and its outcome said so many things about his integrity and leadership, the unwavering commitment of the Idoma People of Benue state and leaves a lesson for young men like Daniel Onjeh, the All Progressive Congress (APC) candidate who was goaded to jump a long cue.
In the Senate today, Mark is the highest ranking member and has garnered alot of experience not just as a member of the red chamber but as President of the Senate Emeritus. Undoubtedly, the quality of debate will always benefit from the insights and experience of Mark to sustain good governance. No doubt, he is an icon on both local and international issues that may confront the upper legislative chamber.
As Senator Mark turns 68, one is quick to reflect on his journey so far. Many political pundits have severally described Mark as a pragmatist, a magnet that moves both friends and foes into his enchanting orbit, a man whose flame and fame continue to illuminate. A pan- Nigerian, a true nationalist and political strategist of no mean standing. He has proven to be a man of immense political sagacity. Born on the 8th day of April 1948 in Otukpo, Otukpo Local Government of Benue State of Nigeria, he started his early education at St. Francis Catholic Practising School, Otukpo from 1956-1961. He later proceeded to the prestigious Nigerian Military School (NMS) Zaria from 1962-1966 thereby setting the tone for his ambition for a military career. He graduated from the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) Regular Course 3 and was commissioned Second Lieutenant in 1970.
He proceeded for further professional training in the United Kingdom and India from 1971-1976 and bagged a Bachelors Degree in Telecommunications Engineering. Between 1978 and 1979, he was a student at the Command and Staff College, Jaji and in 1990-1991 he was at the National Defence University in Washington DC and later at Harvard University Boston, USA 1991-1992. He held various Staff Command and Administrative appointments during his service in the Nigerian Army. Some of these include but are not limited to Directing Staff, Command and Staff College, Commander Corps of Signals and Faculty Director, National War College (NWC) now National Defence College (NDC), Abuja.
Mark also held extra-curricular appointments while in the military. He was appointed the Chairman of the very challenging Abandoned Properties Implementation Committee in 1976. In his capacity as Chairman, he effectively supervised the implementation of the Federal Government White Paper on the controversial abandoned properties in the old Eastern Region now south East and South South zones. In 1984, Lt-Colonel Mark was appointed Military Governor of Niger State. His tenure as the Military Governor of Niger State was characterized by brilliant ideas, bold actions and courageous initiatives which set Niger State on the path of development.
As Minister of Communications in 1988, he revolutionalised the communications sector in Nigeria by introducing mobile phones and digital telephone system in the country. He reorganized NIPOST and started the city coding system. The Nigeria Telecommunications (NITEL) was removed from the Civil Service Structure and staff welfare package was improved significantly. He also built two ultra-modern digital earth stations in Lagos and Enugu from internally generated revenue without recourse to the Federal Government fund.
Mark returned to Nigeria from self-exile in 1998 to a tumultuous, thunderous reception by his Idoma people of Benue State. They instantly declared him their political leader and he responded to the yearnings and aspirations of his people. He joined the PDP and had the privilege of contesting election into the Senate. He was successfully elected as the Senator for Benue South Senatorial District in 1999. Senator Mark was returned by his people in 2003, 2007, 2011 and 2015. In June, 2007, fortune smiled on Mark when he was elected the President of the Nigerian Senate.
•Mumeh writes from Lagos.