Politicians Blinded By Naked Ambition, Says Mark

Worried by what he viewed as incendiary utterances of Nigerian Politicians, Senate President, David Mark, has raised alarm over the ugly trend in the polity ahead of the 2015 general elections, accusing the political class of being blinded by vaulting personal ambitions to overheat the polity.

In his address at the resumption of Senate plenary after the Christmas and New Year recess, Mark cautioned those that occupy political positions over provocative utterances capable of threatening the unity of the country.

Welcoming Senators to legislative business, he assured that the upper legislative chamber would give quick passage to the 2014 Appropriation Bill, even as he said that the senate would monitor implementation of the budget.

He said: “As we resume today, we will soon realise that it is not only our legislative responsibilities that will task our wisdom.

“Pervasive political tension arising from festering political disputes continues to engage the larger polity.

“Across the nation, governance appears to have been sacrificed on the altar of desperate political manoeuvres and feverish permutations aimed at out-flanking one another ahead of the 2015 elections.

“Blinded by naked ambition, the political class has so painfully forgotten the lessons of our national history, and has once again allowed the collision of vaulting personal ambitions to overheat the polity and undermine governance.

“Coming at a time when our nation is still transiting amid tremendous strains and enormous social and economic challenges, the emphasis on primordial politics at the expense of governance is irresponsible, and even dangerous.

“I have said this several times and even at the risk of sounding like a broken record, let me once again caution against provocative utterances.”

He advised the senators not to allow themselves be clouded by selfish interest as the carry out their legislative business, stressing that the entire nation was watching to see what would be the position of the senate in the midst of the frightening political tension.

He sympathised with Senator Magnus Abe, representing Rivers South East, who was recently involved in a political fracas in Rivers State, where policemen allegedly fired rubber bullet at him. “At this moment in time however, my thoughts and prayers go to Distinguished Senator Magnus Abe, who we hear was injured in the commotion that erupted during a political event in Port-Harcourt.

Mark also said that he had instructed the Senate Committees on Air Force and Police Affairs to investigate the incidents involving Senator Ali Ndume in Borno State and Senator Gbenga Obadara in Ogun State respectively.

On the quick passage of 2014 budget, Mark said that despite pervasive political tension arising from festering political disputes that had engaged the larger polity, the senate, which he said, has six months to the end of this legislative year, would ensure quick passage of the 2014 budget.