My people won’t bow to external forces, says Mark

Former Senate President David Mark has described Saturday’s rerun election in Benue South senatorial district as a race for the political destiny of his people, saying they would not “bow to external forces”.

Mark, the longest serving Nigerian senator, is seeking to return to the upper chamber after the appeal court annulled his victory in the March 28 election.

The two-time senate president is up against Daniel Onjeh of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who has contested against him several times.

In a statement which Paul Mumeh, his media aide, issued on Wednesday in Abuja, Mark urged eligible voters among his supporters to come out en masse and vote during the exercise.

“You must stand tall and exercise your franchise within the ambits of the law. What we shall not accept is for external forces to decide who represents us,” the statement read.

“This is an election that affects the political destiny of our people. No outsider should decide for us; we must take our destiny in our hands.”

Advising advised them to comply with the rules of the game by being law abiding, Mark said those fanning the embers of war should think otherwise.

He added that being in politics was a call to service and not a do-or-die affair, saying the welfare of the people was paramount.

Mark, who decried alleged unprovoked attacks on his supporters in the build-up to the election, urged the people of Benue South not to be deterred by the antics of the opposition.

He told the supporters to remain calm even if the opposition may deliberately provoke them to disrupt the election.