PAUL MUMEH writes on the arbiter’s role Senate President David Mark plays during the nation’s critical moments
For the less knowledgeable, incumbent President of the Senate, Senator David Mark was a trained combatant soldier. Those who followed his track record in the hay days of his military career would attest to the fact that Mark was a no nonsense soldier who believed that no matter whose ox was gored the job that had to be done, must be done.
From that background, as a soldier, Senator Mark has less business with dialogue or negotiation. Like a true soldier, his core obligation was to get the job done even if it required brute force or coercion. Most often, it was with immediate effect. To subordinates, the options are limited and there is no room or window for excuses; but getting results is the core value.
But since taking the mantle of leadership at the nation’s apex law making organ in 2007, Mark has proven book makers wrong with his deep sense of wisdom laced with diplomacy in managing the affairs of the Senate, nay National Assembly. Even his emergence as the President of the Senate remains a shocker to many political pundits because except destiny and the hand of God, only a few gave him a chance to make a success of it.
Those who had seen the rise and fall of many Senate presidents under the current political dispensation (1999 till date), argued that Mark would unwittingly step on the proverbial ‘banana peels’ that had seen the premature termination of the tenure of his predecessors in the unstable whimsical chair of the Senate Presidency.
Seven years down the line, Mark to their utmost dismay, has proven the doubting Thomases really wrong. He has stabilized the Senate, nay the national politics with his ingenuity and Wisdom of Solomon. He has unarguably given the upper legislative chamber a good name to be remembered for and whose shoulders Nigerians should rely on no matter the odds.
Just a few months ago, the lawmaker rose above the fray, above partisan politics when he “resolved” the once Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) senators from defecting to the emerging All Peoples Congress (APC) when he stood firm like the rock of Gibraltar and held on tenaciously to what is right in tandem with the constitution and the standing rules of the Senate.
Those who rose up in protest that Mark must read the letter of the “defecting” Senators few weeks later had cause to rethink and say thank you Senator Mark. The Senator Bukola Saraki- led “defecting” senators now know better that the story would have been grossly unpalatable politically and that what the lawmaker did was beyond partisan politics but to safeguard democracy and protection of national interest.
Let’s not miss the point of this discourse to wit; that at almost every critical situation the nation found herself at least since 1999 return to a democratic rule, there has always been a Nigerian, a David Mark there to rescue the hitherto wrecking ship.
From Senate Retreat in Port Harcourt, Rivers State in 2008, where the upper Legislative Chamber proffered solution to tackle the menace of the restive Niger Delta militants from where the establishment of the ministry of Niger Delta, to compliment the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to so many interventions, including the labour unrests, Senator Mark has always been the man behind the mask.
It is no longer news that for the whole of last year, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) shut down the Ivory towers on account of the alleged Federal Government’s refusal to honour agreement reached with them on the deplorable state of education in Nigeria.
All efforts/entreaties by authorities and stakeholders to ASUU to call off the industrial dispute fell on deaf ears until Senator Mark through a resolution of the Senate was mandated to wade into the crisis.
Expectedly, Mark stepped into the matter and within a couple of weeks of tact and negotiation skills, the university teachers suspended the strike many thought was intractable.
As a humble public servant, Senator Mark did not claim the credit of that achievement but to the university teachers, Senate and President of the Federal Republic who gave him a listening ear to resolve the issues at stake.
In the same vein, Senator Mark now dubbed the ultimate negotiator waded into the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) dispute with Government and again achieved a great deal of success in resolving the crisis, and the lecturers went back to classes after about 10 months.
Worthy of note was Senator Mark’s invocation of Doctrine of Necessity on February 11, 2010 to save the nation from the precipice at a time when the country was in a circumstances likened a rudderless ship on account of the ill-health of Nigeria’s former President, Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, a man believed to be determined but cut short by ill-health to lead the nation.
That singular action of the invocation of the Doctrine of Necessity unarguably saved Nigeria from the leadership vacuum and empowered then Vice President Goodluck Jonathan to become an acting President. It remains a vital page for the Guinness Book of Records.
What is more, Senator Mark’s intervention in the January 2012 public outcry and wild protests against the removal of petroleum subsidy during which the socio-political and economic life of Nigeria was in comatose remains a reference point in our contemporary history. The statesmanship of Mark on that occasion was worthwhile.
Only last week, Senator Mark added to his credit when his intervention led to the suspension of the Nigeria Medical Association’s (NMA) two months industrial action. Doctors, under the aegis of the NMA, had embarked on strike action to among other things demand for the unpaid arrears arising from the relativity allowance, application of skipping in the promotion of medical doctors as applicable in civil service, increment of hazard allowance for medical doctors from the present N5,000 per month to a proposed N100,000 per month, withdrawal of the circular making nurses and midwives consultants, arguing that only degrees of fellowship registrable by the Dental and Medical council of Nigeria can be considered for appointment of consultants.
It was yet Senator Mark’s intervention from Sunday 17 through Wednesday 20 of August 2014 that salvaged the situation with the doctors agreeing to suspend the strike while negotiation continues.
The point must be re-emphasized here that Senator Mark has lived up to his billings as the President of the Senate. He has consistently stated that he remains a pan-Nigeria, a patriot and nationalist whose mission and goal is to contribute squarely to the wellbeing of the ordinary Nigerian. In doing so, to be guided by the wishes and aspirations of the Nigeria people. He will be neutral in all matters, but he cannot fold his hands on issues that affect the security and wellbeing of Nigeria and Nigerians.
In doing so, the lawmaker insists, he will be fair, firm, just and honest at all times so that generations yet unborn would remember his records of excellent services in public service.
Hate him or love him, Senator Mark’s honesty and determination to leave the Senate nay its leadership better than he met it is incontrovertible. He is a peace maker, a successful negotiator of good will. For him, there is the hand of God in what he does, and adorns a garment washed by God which no man can stain.
