By James Ibechi
In moments of national peril, some names echo louder than others. For Nigeria, David Alechenu Bonaventure Mark is one of such names that are synonymous with steadiness in chaos, and redemption in the face of ruin. As the African Democratic Congress (ADC) prepares to be unveiled this Wednesday as the platform for a formidable opposition Coalition, it is Mark, military man, former Senate President, and democratic statesman, who is being installed as interim leader.
It is not the first time David Mark is stepping into Nigeriaโs breach.
When the late dictator Sani Abacha plotted to morph from military despot to civilian president in the mid-90s, Mark took a stand. He opposed it so virulently that he was forced into exileโfleeing from the iron grip of a regime that brooked no dissent. Years later, as Senate President, it was Mark who midwifed the now-famous โDoctrine of Necessity,โ rescuing Nigeria from a constitutional cliff when President YarโAdua slipped into medical limbo. He did not shout. He acted. Nigeria was saved.
Today, the country teeters againโon the brink of economic collapse, engulfed by insecurity, hyperinflation, and a yawning leadership vacuum. President Bola Tinubuโs APC government, once buoyed by bluster, now staggers under the weight of broken promises and failing policies. And just as the air grows heavy with fear and fatigue, Mark returns.
But this return is no solo mission. Under his steady hand, a grand coalitionโcomprising civic voices, disaffected political actors, technocrats, youth movements, and elder statesmenโis taking shape. The ADC, once a fringe party, is being reengineered into the most potent alternative yet to APCโs continuity of crisis.
Markโs strength lies not in sloganeering but in quiet, firm leadership. For two decades, he represented Benue South, and for eight years, he presided over the Senate without scandal. From the FOI Act to national health reforms, his legacy is etched in policy and principle.
In this new assignment, he brings the gravitas of a soldier, the experience of a statesman, and the calm of a man who understands power as stewardship. Nigeria is bleeding, but once again, David Mark is stepping forward, not to bask in applause, but to stitch the wounds. A nation waits.
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