FAREWELL SPEECH BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE, HIS EXCELLENCY, DAVID MARK, ON THE VALEDICTORY SESSION TO MARK THE END OF THE 6TH SENATE AT SENATE CHAMBER ON THURSDAY, 2ND JUNE, 2011.
It is my pleasure and privilege to address you my bosses and colleagues,
distinguished Senators of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on this auspicious
occasion of the winding up of the 6th Senate. There is time for everything under
the sun.
I thank the Almighty God Who has made it possible for us to witness this great
day. It is most unfortunate that conspicuously absent from this gathering, are
two of our colleagues, who were snatched away by the cold hands of death. Two
very illustrious Senators from Gombe State are not here to share in the joy of
this day with us, Late Senators Tawar Umbi Wada and Peto Dukku. May their gentle
souls rest in peace. Amen.
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before elections
Ribadu Writes Nigerians A “Thank You” Letter
Thank You Nigerians
Last October I picked up membership of the Action Congress of Nigeria, and with that move, started an important journey, along with fellow compatriots, to help renew our dreams and our country. It was a journey and a challenge to correct what we diagnosed to be wrong and ill about governance in our country.
Benue ACN suffers another assasination
Written by Damilola Adekunle
Steve Ugbah, ACN governorship candidate in Benue
A chieftain of the ACN in Benue Charles Ayede was this evening gunned down by suspected assassins. Ayeded and the Benue ACN governorship candidate in the just concluded elections, Professor Steve Ugbah were on their way to Makurdi. The shooting also injured one of Professor Ugbah’s strong supporter, Mr Adaa Maagbe.
Assailants opened fire on the team near Kadarko in Nasawara state, 25 minutes away from Makurdi the Benue state capital.
Eyewitness reports said Ayede and Mr Maagbe were riding ahead of Prof. Ugbah when the assassins accosted and killed Ayede. Mr Ayede died on the spot, while Maagbe got shot in the hand. Mr Maagbe ran into the bush when their car came to a stop and immediately told Prof Ugbah to make a detour back to Lafia, the capital of Nasarawa State. From the nature of the attack, it was clear the assailants were out to kill Prof. Ugbah.
Senate President doles out N100 million to students
Senate president
A total of 2,439 students have been awarded scholarship by the President of the Senate, David Mark for the 2010/2011 academic session.
Majority of the students are from his constituency, Benue South Senatorial District as well as Benue North-east and Benue North-West.
The beneficiaries included; 2,180 regular students in tertiary Institutions, 15 gifted girl-child, Seven special cases at both the under-graduate and post graduate levels, 244 indigent children in the primary and secondary school levels.
Distributing the over N100 Million to the students at Otukpo under his pet project; David Mark Scholarship Scheme (DMSS) for the 2010/2011 academic session, Mark noted that education is the bedrock and indeed the foundation of any development which governments and responsible organisations cannot ignore.
Battle for senate presidency begins before election
Senate President presidening a plenary
The April 2nd legislative arm election is still two weeks away. Only few of the contestants are certain of victory. Fewer of the re-contesting senators are certain of returning to the senateand no one is sure of the composition the final list of senators that will constitute seventh senate, yet, intense lobby for who becomes the senate president is splitting the senate.
Over the past four weeks, there have been deep underhand consultations within and outside the national assembly by aspiring senate presidents from th
e ranks of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and their sponsors – godfathers. The lobbyists and aspirants have been contacting prospective senators and party leader
ship, including the busy President Goodluck Jonathan seeking for support.
There are four major contenders for the seat; three from the current sitting senators, all bandying different criteria favouring them for the job and all hoping for support from President Jonathan. The contestants are not deterred by the first huddle of winning the April 2nd election neither are they held back by the possibility of the seventh senate not being dominated by PDP lawmakers.
ogala 