Election Tribunal: David Mark Denies Refusing To Enter Witness Box | #Nigeria

The immediate past Senate President, David Mark, has denied reports that he refused to enter the witness box when he appeared before the Benue State Election Petition Tribunal where he is currently defending his victory in the March 28 national assembly elections.

The election of Mr. Mark, who represents Benue South Senatorial District, is being challenged by Daniel Onjeh of the All Progressives Congress.

At its recent proceedings in Markurdi, the Benue State capital, the tribunal admitted documents showing that the election of the former senate president followed due process.

A statement on Sunday by his media aide, Kola Ologbondiyan, said Mr. Mark was not invited to the witness box by the tribunal throughout the proceedings of that day and therefore the issue of his refusal to testify, never arose.

“If Senator Mark appeared in the Tribunal, why would he refuse to enter the witness box if the panel so desires to invite him?” the statement said.

“For the record, when Senator Mark appeared at the tribunal, his counsel Ken Ikonne merely announced his presence and he (Ikonne) proceeded to address the panel. At no point did he or the panel invite Senator Mark to the witness box.

“Ikonne thereafter tendered three documents which were neither contradicted nor objected to by the opponent’s counsel before the Tribunal admitted same as evidence”.

The statement warned that no matter the level of interest, media practitioners should not allow themselves to be willing tools in the hands of mischief makers and become agents of treachery and blackmail.

It, therefore, urged journalists to abide by the sacred tenets of journalism “which among other things upholds the sanctity of the truth at all times no matter the level of interest because it take good conscience to practice journalism”.