Ex-Senate President, Mark, May Emerge PDP Chairman

The pressure on former Senate President David Mark to step in as substantive national chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has continued.

It was learnt that two former generals, one a former president and the other a former minister of Defense, were said to have asked Mark to take up the position to stabilise the party before a national convention.

A party source confided in LEADERSHIP yesterday that the push to have the former president step in to stabilise the party until a fresh convention is held.

Although Mark has not indicated any interest yet, he is from the North Central Zone, which has been agitating for the acting national chairman, Amb Illiya Damagum, to vacate the seat and allow for Senator Iyorchia Ayu’s replacement.

However, a source close to Mark told LEADERSHIP yesterday that the former senate president is mindful of the legal issues that have trailed the leadership tussle.

The party chieftain, who noted that the call on the former senate president has almost yielded results, said Mark is concerned about “cracks within the party.”

The source noted, “As much as he is open to step in and stabilise the party, he would not want to preside over a factionalised party.”

Another party source, who confirmed that various party stakeholders have approached Mark, said he was singled out because of the “belief that he can’t be pushed around by the various camps within the party, which is what the party needs at this time.”

The tussle between the camps loyal to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Federal Capital Territory (FCT) minister Nyesom Wike has caused a split within the party. The split was recently reflected in the party’s National Working Committee (NWC).