A former president of the Senate, David Mark, is said to be ambivalent about the invitation extended to him by a political coalition being put together to challenge the re-election of President Bola Tinubu in 2027.
The coalition is being spearheaded by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, former Transportation Minister Rotimi Amaechi, and other political heavyweights.
THE WHISTLER gathered on Sunday that the desire of the promoters to have Mark join their ranks was informed by what they considered the former Senate President’s credibility and commitment to any cause he believed in.
They are also said to be banking on Mark to win followers and to get the buy-in of the North Central zone, where Mark hailed from.
David Mark is widely considered one of the most consistent and dependable leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
However, sources close to the 77-year-old Mark told THE WHISTLER that the Otukpo, Benue State-born politician, is wary of the motives behind the actions of the promoters of the coalition.
More so, one of the sources pointed out that most of the key actors behind the coalition were the same politicians who worked with Tinubu and others in the All Progressives Congress (APC) to unseat former President Goodluck Jonathan in the 2015 election.
Mark, who was elected the President of the Senate in June 2007, served in that capacity for eight unbroken years, covering the entire duration of Jonathan’s tenure as president from May 2010 to May 2015.
The source, who craves anonymity because he was not mandated to comment on the matter, said, “Yes, I am aware of the pressure on him (Mark) to join their coalition. But I can tell you that he is being extra careful about the whole thing.
“Now, who are the people in this coalition? Atiku, El-Rufai, Amaechi, Fayemi and others. These were the same people who worked with Tinubu in the APC to unseat Jonathan in 2015 and won the election for Buhari.
“They were key players in the APC as ministers and governors for eight years under Buhari. Don’t forget that two of them had wanted to be ministers under Tinubu, but they were rejected. Are these the people Mark should join in a coalition?” the source queried.
Describing Atiku as “a nomadic politician”, the source said having contested as presidential candidate of the PDP in the 2019 and 2023 elections, the proper thing for him to do is to remain with the PDP and help resolve the leadership crisis that is tearing the party apart.
According to him, Atiku has disappointed many stakeholders in the PDP who look up to him to help put the party on sound footing, to challenge the APC, and possibly unseat Tinubu in 2027.
He said it’s a thing of regret that the former vice president chose to abandon the PDP at its most critical moments because he felt he might not get the party’s 2027 presidential ticket.
“I can say without any fear of contradiction that Atiku is in that coalition solely because he wants a presidential ticket to run for president again in 2027. If he fails to get the ticket, or if he gets the ticket and loses again, that would be the end of the coalition.
“So what is the point in joining a coalition that is doomed to go under after the next election, which will certainly not go their way?” he added.
A political group linked to the Atiku-led coalition, the League of Northern Democrats (LND), had, at a meeting in Abuja on May 22, pledged to work with a certain National Opposition Coalition Group, allegedly chaired by Mark.
The LND, led by a former Kano State Governor, Ibrahim Shekarau, had touted Mark as “our leader” who will drive the transitional politics towards the 2027 general election.
Part of a communique issued by the Shekarau group had stated in part, “We resolved to support the National Opposition Coalition Group, chaired by Senator David Mark, in driving the transitional politics towards the 2027 general election.”
However, sources close to Mark who spoke with THE WHISTLER on Sunday dismissed the said National Opposition Coalition Group, allegedly being led by the former President of the Senate, as “phantom”.
Multiple media reports have quoted the leaders of the Atiku coalition as perfecting moves to adopt the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as a platform to prosecute the 2027 election.
