…MARK, EKWEREMADU RETURN UNOPPOSED

Senators David Mark and Ike Ekweremadu were on Monday returned to office as Senate President and Deputy Senate President. The duo emerged through a unanimously adoption of their nomination by Senators following the proclamation of the Seventh National Assembly by President Goodluck Jonathan. Their re-election was supervised by the Clerk to the National Assembly, Alhaji Salisu Maikasuwa and assisted by the Clerk of the Senate, Mr. Ben Efeture. Following the nomination of Senator Mark by Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba and seconded by Senator Smart Adeyemi, there was no further nomination of any other Senator, thus was declared elected as the President of the Seventh, Senate.

While moving the motion for the nomination of Senator Mark, former Deputy Majority Leader, Senator Ndoma-Egba, said David Mark's rise from a military background to becoming the President of the Senate in 2007 was a complete transformation.

Ndoma-Egba said: 'Senator Mark at a critical point in our nation's history, authored the Doctrine of Necessity to to stabilize the ship of State.' In seconding the motion for Mark's nomination, Senator Adeyemi (PDP Kogi) extolled the virtues of Mark, saying that while he led the Sixth Senate, very critical bills notably the Freedom of Information FoT Bill were passed just as the National Assembly successfully amended the 1999 Constitution and the 2006 Electoral Act. Similarly, Senator Zainab Kure while moving the motion for the nomination of Ekweremadu for the position of Senate Deputy President said the Enugu State-born legislator has demonstrated unbridled leadership qualities.