David Mark seals fifth term, defeats Onjeh

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared former senate President David Mark as winner of the Benue South rerun election.

Mark, who has been in the upper legislative chamber since 1999, defeated Daniel Onjeh of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Ishaq Enigi, returning officer of the election, announced that Mark polled a total of 84,192 votes, while Onjeh secured 71,621 votes.

In November, the appeal court sitting in Makurdi, capital of Benue, annulled Mark’s victory in the March 28 election.

The court had ordered a rerun election within 90 days.

Describing the verdict as a temporary setback, Mark had expressed confidence that he would return to the senate.

He said his people loved him and would stand by him in the fresh election.

“I won the election clean and clear. If we go back to the polls 100 times, I will still win convincingly,” he had said.

“Whatever the situation may be, one thing I know is that my people are solidly behind me. They also appreciate the fact that I have done more than enough to lift up Idoma nation to a position of eminence in the contemporary political history of Nigeria.”