Former President of the Senate, Senator David Mark, has congratulated the governor of Benue State, Dr Samuel Ortom, over the validation of his victory by the nation’s apex court in Abuja today.
The Supreme Court had in a unanimous judgement delivered by Justice Sylvester Agwuata, affirmed the election of Ortom as a duly elected Governor of Benue State.
Reacting to the judgement, in a statement by Paul Mummeh, his Media Adviser, Senator Mark noted that the affirmation was a validation of the mandate given to Ortom by the people of Benue State.
He told Ortom: “The validation of your mandate by SCN is an affirmation of the trust reposed in you by the people of Benue State to serve them; for their development, welfare and security which must not be taken for granted”.
In addition, he urged the governor to be magnanimous in victory by extending hands of fellowship to his major opponent, Barr. Emmanuel Jime and his supporters in the task of working for the good of Benue people.
To Jime, Senator Mark reminded him that the battle for the plum position of governor of Benue State has been fought and won and implored him to join Ortom in the voyage to develop the State.
According to Mark, “I have always maintained that everybody cannot be governor at the same time because there is only one seat; but whichever side of the coin one finds himself, he must remember that the interest, welfare and security of Benue and Nigerian people must be paramount”.
He told the governor to be a father to all irrespective of party affiliation, saying, “Your good works, security, peace and unity of the State would be the needed legacies”.
Senator Mark has also sent a message of congratulations to the governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal, Bauchi’s Bala Mohammed, his Taraba State counterpart, Darius Ishaku, Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State and Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, over their victories at the apex court.
The elder-statesman reminded them of the need to make a difference in the lives of their citizens by working assiduously for the development of their States, reiterating “you must continue to do only those things that will bring peace, unity and progress to the nation”.