Former Senate President, David Mark, fielded questions from reporters at Otukpo, Benue State. He used the opportunity to advise incoming National Assembly members to make laws that would deepen the nation’s democratic culture.
How do you see the election?
The election was relatively peaceful at my unit. In this area it was basically peaceful, we don’t encourage violence. So, it is unlikely to have high rate of violence or destruction elsewhere. There are some of our overzealous boys and girls who may go overboard, in township things may go wrong but in rural areas we are peaceful here.
You have been part of building our democracy in this country. What is your assessment of our democratic development vis-a-vis elections?
I will rather answer in this way, where do you want us to be that we have not reached? Well, the simple truth is that we have not reached there yet. So, where do you want to be that we have not reached? I look forward to a day during an election that people would go about their normal activities, go to their polling units, cast their votes and go, sit down somewhere then votes are counted, transmitted from collation centre to another and from there transmitted to another centre and by evening results are known. No bickers, no fighting. In other words let people who vote be assured that their votes count, nothing else. In our past elections, we heard of ballot snatching, gunshots, people running away, people with ballot papers ambushed, disrupting voting exercise; I think by now we supposed to have achieved some milestones in our democratic journey. It is through election we become aware of the process.
Sir, you are not going back to the National Assembly, one wonders your next move; are you contesting presidential election in the future?
I will join you in your profession or you think I’m too old to practise journalism (laughter).
You can be described as someone who has seen it all as far as legislation in this country is concerned. As someone others look up to as father; what will be your advice for the 9th National Assembly?
I will tell them that whatever they do, they have to do those things that will deepen democracy, those things that will strengthen democratic institutions because that is the only way that democracy will be entrenched and established fully, and people will have confidence in the system. The national assembly has improved tremendously from 1999 to date. The first election in 1999 everybody was skeptical, nobody believes that the military was going to handover. And so, it was only those who were prepared to take risk that participated. They should leverage on that. And also elections are too expensive, I hope as we go on we will be able to cut down on expenses. Whatever they do they must make sure that they take decision on that. Whatever they do, they must make sure it will deepen democracy.
In every contest there must be winners and losers. At the end of the day what would be your advice to both the winners and losers?
I think people will accept results of free, fair, credible and transparent election. Those are the ingredients of democracy. If they are not there people will find it difficult to accept the result. If there is justice in the process, a free, fair and credible, result of election will be accepted.
Based on this, what do you have to tell presidential candidate of your party, Atiku Abubakar? Some are telling him to go to court, while some are saying don’t go?
I have not spoken to him since the last presidential election or do you want to help me to send him message (laughter) Truly, I have not spoken to him.
If you were to advise him on the outcome of the presidential election, what would be the advice?
I don’t know (laughter)
Felix Omohomhion
