Tag: former Senate President

  • Murder: Mark condemns rising insecurity in Benue

    …Wants security beef up in crime prune areas.

     

    Worried by the un-abating insecurity in parts of Benue State which has claimed scores of lives in recent time, former Senate President, Senator David Mark, Monday condemned in strong terms the menace.

    Mark tasked security operatives to immediately to rise up to the challenge by doing the needful.

    The former Senate President in a statement by his media assistant, Paul Mumeh recalled that a couple of days ago, unknown gunmen invaded a police station in Ado Local Government Area of Benue State during which four police men on duty were  reportedly murdered while some ammunitions  were carted away.

    He noted that in a similar bizarre circumstance, two students of Benue State Polytechnic, Ugbokolo believed to be brothers were murdered in cold blood by gun men suspected to be cultists.

    Senator Mark who said that situation is troubling urged the citizens to cooperate with the security operatives “to fish out the perpetrators of these heinous crimes “.

    He lamented that insecurity was taking a toll on the concerted efforts to attract development, saying that all hands must be on deck to end the menace.

    He cautioned youths in the state to refrain from any act of criminality or violence because “you will  be putting your lives and future in jeopardy.

    He said, “As future leaders, our youths should engage in something productive and meaningful. You cannot position yourselves as future leaders and deliberately destroying the proposed future. Enough is enough. A word is enough for the wise”.

  • Former senate president backs Ortom on fight against corruption

    Former senate president backs Ortom on fight against corruption

    Former Senate President, Senator Ameh Ebute, today joined the ranks of major stakeholders across the state who have urged Governor Samuel Ortom to sustain the fight against corruption in the state and also ensure that looted funds are recovered.

    Senator Ebute spoke at the Okpokwu Hall in Okpoga where the Governor held a township meeting with prominent sons and daughters from Ado, Okpokwu and Ogbadibo local government areas.

    “We support your fight against corruption in the state and efforts to recover the funds looted by officials of the previous administration,” he stated.

    “We knew they were looting but there was nothing we could do. Thank God that you have come to fight for us. Please ensure that the funds are recovered.”

    The former Senate President also commended Governor Ortom for being accessible to the people and for initiating the Town hall meetings which he described as the first of its kind in the state.

    Other speakers at the occasion included Jacob Ogwuche, Professor Jerry Agada, Chris Abah, Mr Bernard Ochepa, Dr Moses Obande, Frank Adejo Audu, John Abutu, David Idoko, Ladi Onazi, Bishop Daniel Agbese and Ada Ogbadibo, Prince Agbo Enenche.

    They also appreciated the town hall meetings and development efforts inspite of the hard times but raised concerns about insecurity, unemployment, delayed payment of salaries and pensions, internally generated revenue, deforestation, as well as critical infrastructure.

    Governor Ortom promised to address the issues raised especially when the economy of the state improved.

    He maintained that if the N107 billion loot was recovered, it would be used for the payment of all outstanding arrears of salaries and pensions which he said amounted to about N40 billion while the balance would be used to develop the state.

    The Governor announced that the State Executive Council would soon approve the award of contract for the electrification of Ichama in Okpokwu local government area as provision had been made for the project in the 2016 budget.

  • Mark raises alarm over killings, kidnappings in Benue state.

    Mark raises alarm over killings, kidnappings in Benue state.

    Former Senate President, Senator David Mark, Thursday raised the alarm over the spate of murders, kidnappings and gang-related activities in Benue State.

    The unfortunate development, Mark said, has claimed scores of lives and property worth millions in recent times.

    The former Senate President who was reacting to the death of a Catholic Priest, Reverend Father John Adeyi in the hands of kidnappers who abducted him over 60 days ago, noted that the upsurge in criminal activities have reached an intolerable level.

    A statement by his Media Assistant, Paul Mumeh, said that Mark wondered what a harmless Catholic Priest would do to deserve that kind of dehumanization and eventual murder by kidnappers.

    It said that Mark urged the Catholic Community, especially the bereaved family, to take solace in the fact that Father Adeyi was a true servant of God who gave his all to win souls for Christ.

    It said that a worried Senator Mark stated that even as he mourns the death of Adeyi in the hands of kidnappers, “news filtered into town that another of his constituent and a Catholic Priest with Kano Catholic Diocese, Reverend Father Julius Inalegwu was abducted in the early hours of yesterday in Kano State.”

    It said that Mark implored the Inspector General of Police and other Security operatives to do all that is needed to bring the perpetrators to justice forthwith.

    It quoted Mark who represents Benue South Senatorial District to have said: “My constituents feel unsafe in their homes, at their businesses, while going about social activities or places of worship”.

    It said that the former Senate President noted that the primary goal of any government is to ensure security and welfare of citizens, insisting that it is incumbent on leaders at all levels to secure the citizens.

    It said that Senator Mark tasked his people to be security conscious at all times and added that they needed to cooperate with the police to fish out criminals in order to guarantee a safe environment for people to go about their legitimate businesses unmolested.

  • Anambra: Oduah wins Senatorial election

    Anambra: Oduah wins Senatorial election

    The Senator representing Anambra North Senatorial District, Stella Oduah, on Tuesday, won her election to the 8th Senate.

    Oduah, who won the election by over 30, 000 votes, had her victory upheld by the Appeal Court sitting in Enugu, after dismissing an appeal against her victory.

    The former Minister of Aviation had been brought before the election tribunal in October, by the candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance , APGA, Dubem Obaze, who cited electoral malpractice in the elections which held in March.

    Although, the Appeal Court threw out another Senator voted under the party’s umbrella, Uche Ekwunife, Oduah and her party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) have reasons to celebrate.

    Similarly, the election of former Senate President, David Mark as a member of the 8th Senate was nullified by an appeal court.

    Mark’s case was followed by Ekwunife’s loss.