Immediate past Senate President, David Mark, has reacted to the allegation leveled against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC that he purchased his house in Apo Legislative Quarters Abuja without following due process.
The antigraft agency last week invited Mark to their office to answer questions on how he purchased his mansion in the posh Apo quarters. EFCC had alleged that while he was still the Senate President, he used his office to acquire the mansion without following due process.
Mark in his defence issued a statement yesterday, saying that the EFCC's allegation is 'spurious, contrived and baseless.” In the statement signed by his media assistant, Paul Mumeh, the former Senate president says he never flouted any laws while purchasing his Abuja house. According to him, himself and other politicians were given the opportunity to purchase some properties. He bided for it and purchased it in line with the Federal Government’s monetisation policy, which was started by the administration of ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo.
“I had the right of first refusal. Even if I did not purchase it, someone else would have. I am a law-abiding citizen. I did not flout any law. Curiously, four houses occupied by the then presiding officers of the National Assembly were offered to the occupants. All of us – I, as the then President of the Senate; the Deputy Senate President , Ike Ekweremadu; the then Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole; and his deputy, Bayero Nafada – were given the same offer. I am at a loss as to why it is now a subject of contention. If this persecution is about politics, my political party and the 2019 elections, I dare say that only God and Nigerians would decide. No amount of persecution would alter the will of God. I had refrained from commenting on this because it is already in court. But they have taken the matter to the court of public opinion'.
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