Senate: Anxiety As Mark Appears Before Tribunal

Former Senate President David Mark yesterday appeared before the National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Makurdi, Benue State, but his lawyers stalled his entry into the witness box for cross-examination.
Mark, the senator representing Benue South Senatorial District under the platform of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was dragged before the tribunal by Daniel Onjeh, senatorial candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for alleged election irregularities.
Onjeh is praying the tribunal to nullify the emergence of Mark and cancel the entire senatorial election on the grounds that he (Onjeh) polled the highest votes.
The tribunal had requested Mark to appear before it in the witness box for questioning and cross-examination to clarify some of the contending issues in the case.
The appearance of Mark at the tribunal caused pandemonium as scores of ardent supporters of the PDP thronged the place to show solidarity. There was heavy security presence in the place and apart from journalists and lawyers, party stalwarts were not allowed entry.

Lawyer to Mark, Mr. Kenneth Ikonne, stalled the entry of the former Senate president into the witness box and argued that to cross-examine his client would amount to supporting the alleged criminal allegations of his opponent, the plaintiff.
However, counsel to Onjeh, Mr. Oso Adetunji, insisted that the refusal of Mark to enter the witness box for questioning has infringed the pleadings of the plaintiff to the tribunal.