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His Biography

• Brief History from his childhood
• His story in the early stage of his military career
• His Stand during the babangida dispensation
• And after that
• Currently in the Senate...
  
  
  
  

Brief story from his childhood...

He attended primary school at St. Francis Catholic Practising school Otukpo, Benue state, between 1956 and 1961 before he proceeded to the most popular Military Secondary school in Nigeria, the Nigerian Military School Zaria, Kaduna beginning in 1962 and passed out in 1966. He continued with the character that was imbibed in him by the influence of the Military Secondary school and proceeded to the Nigeria Defence Academy(NDA) Kaduna on the 3rd Regular Course in 1967 and graduated in 1970 to become a Communications Engineer in the Nigerian Army after a period of four years. During the intense miltary training course, he graduated tops in his class as one of the best students, in almost examsand active training, and being a sports lover he faced no difficuly with the training as it was his hobby. During the same year of graduation from the NDA he was offered admission by the School of Signals Blandford, England where he broadened his knowledge and acquired more knowledge in his field which prepared him for greater challenges in time to come.

Consequently on his return from England, he enrolled for a College program simultaneously in the College of Military Engineering Poona and Military College of Telecommunication Engineering Mhow in the year 1971 to broaden his knowledge more on Signal and Telecommunications and graduated 1975, during which he was recommended for promotions on several occasions and was granted on his excellent performance and clean records in the force. Consequently on his promotion to the rank of a Senior Officer in the Army, he was called to the Command and Staff College Jaji, Kaduna state from 1978 to 1979 to receive leadership training for Senior duties and appointments as a Senior Army officer. He could not have risen to the status without hardwork , patience, discipline and the grace of God. Following the sequence of events he further consolidated his professional knowledge of his career by attending the Nigerian Defence Academy - WASHINGTON DC USA, between the years 1990 and 1991, proceeding to the reputable and distinguished Havard University Havard, Boston-USA between 1991 and 1992. One can draw from these events that he made sure he rose to the apex of his career in training and in discipline. Get more details from his profile......

His Story in the early stage of his Military career....

David Mark had an exciting knowledge filled experience as a young telecommunications engineer in the Army and gradually rising from the position of a Junior officer to the position of a Senior officer. He was faced with many challenges as an fine up-coming, promising officer in the army.

After He graduated from Nigeria's apex military training school, the Command and Staff College (CSC) in jaji, Kaduna , He was posted to the Corps of signals as Commandant. Here apart from training the officers and the men of the Corps of signals, he had the responsibility of training all the officers and soldiers in the Nigerian Army in communications and related fields. The school was the supervising body of the degree course in electronics offered by the University of ife (present Obafemi Awolowo University). Many military officers have continued to take degrees Ife(OAU).

It has been the tradition that officers who perform excellently while at the CSC, are brought back to Jaji as Directing Staff ( the equivalent of a Lecturer) to teach. This was the case with David Mark when he became Directing Staff in charge of Staff Duties, in which position he supervised and taught Military writing and Staff duties , a very important element of high level military training dealing with routine standard military writing as well as operational military writing . He was later appointed the Directing Staff in charge of Tactics and operations, where he oversaw and coordinated all training related to military strategy , operation and tactics. The department was also responsible for teaching military - civilian relationship and military history.

Still at jaji Mark became the General Staff Officer Grade 1, Coordination, at the CSC, taking charge of the planning and coordination of the entire training program of CSC. He organised and coordinated internal and external lecturers, visits of participants to foreign countries and internal geopolotical tour, as well as participants graduation ceremonies. The I Division headquarters and Signals Kaduna, also saw David Mark at work when he was responsible for organising the headquarters in operations while co-ordinating all telecommunication activities within the division. It was the duo of Maj. Gen David Jemibewon as GOC I Division and Mark as Division Headquarters Signals Commander, that successsfully routed the Maitasine religious fanatics in Kano, attracting a commendation from President Shehu Shagari.

Nigerians within civil Army Headquarters, Lagos too entertained the suave signals Officer as its Director of telecommunications, in which position Mark was responsible for communications policy formulation for the Nigerian army. This included inter-services communication policies, especially those on interconnectivity and integration with civil communication systems in operation, as well as liaison with civil telecommunication organizations in peace and during strife.

David Mark attained the height of his professional military career when he was appointed Commander Corps of Signals a position all signal officers crave to attain. As Commander of the Corps, he had the onerous task of advising the Chief of Army Staff on inter and intra communication matters, as well as running the Army Headquarters in operation. He was also responsible for policy matters in respect of communications with the various units of the Nigerian Army. When the National War College was established, David Mark was appointed founding member of staff along with the British training team. He was Diretor of the Army Faculty and also Faculty to the Higher Military Training and Studies in these positions, he was responsible formulating the training policy for the Army Faculty , as well as coordinating the tri-service faculty training. He succeeded in providing a very stable base for the Nigerian Team when the British Training Team left consequent upon the annulment of the June 12, 1993 Presidential elections.

David Mark hit national limelights with a big bang when as a young army major he was appointed Chairman of the Abandoned Properties Implementation Commission. It was a very sensitive and politically explosive issue, and therefore a most difficult assignment to implement the Federal Government White Paper on the controversial properties abandoned as a result of the civil war. His pragmatic handling of the issue has continued to elicit accolades till date. From his objective handling of the abandoned properties case in Portharcourt, it was not surprising that the Government of General uhammadu Buhari subsequently appointed Lt Colonel David Mark Military Governor of Niger state. David Mark in Niger state would be a fat book on its own. Suffice it here to say that at the end of his tenure there, it was a weeping state that bade him farewell. Apart from introducing compulsory education for all females he embarked on the industrialization of Niger state. He exposed both human and material potentials to the outside world. One of the high points of the Mark administration in Niger state was the enactment of edict which granted automatic indigenship to anyone both in the state and those who had spent 20years there provided they had performed their civic responsibilities and did not have dual indigenship. Nigerlites still remember David Mark with great nostalgia as their Military Governor who executed the War Against Indiscipline(WAI) with a capital 'T' in front meaning Total WAI.

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His Stand during the Babangida dispensation...

General Ibrahim Babangida could not have found a better hand as minister of communications when he became Nigeria's only Military President. After a meritorious performance in Niger state, the state of General Babangida, David Mark now a Colonel in the Nigerian Army, was appointed head of Communications Ministry, where he became instantly and surprisingly controversial. It was inconceivable to Nigerians that a minister could disconnect the direct telephone line to the Head of State's table, for the simple reason that the line was a debtor to NITEL . Such is however the manner of the Man David Mark. He has always been a complete believer in the policy of leading by example. Mark, as Minister of communications was definately in his real elements. In his professional calling he introduced mobile phones and digital telephone systems in Nigeria while NIPOST was recognised and the city coding system introduced.

Always concerned about staff welfare Mark removed NITEL from civil structure and forged a new enhanced salary structure for NITEL workers. The retirement policy put in place still remains one of the best in the country. Two altra-digital earth stations was built during his tenure while the existing telephone lines where more than doubled. To effect efficiency and instill the spirit of service delivery , NITEL acquired a fleet of LUXURY buses for the staff as well two helicopters. It is on record that David Mark as Minister of coummunications stopped the monthly subvention to NITEL from the Federal Government. He generated revenue internally for all ministerial expenditure with respect to NITEL. By the time he left the ministry the epileptic NITEL had started contibuting to the federal account.

During the David Mark's political appointment in the military he was probably the youngest member of the Armed Forces Ruling Council (AFRC), the highest decision making body in the country then. Even the discerning critiques of the militray politics knew that Mark was a very influential member of the AFRC. Decision making at the highest level was therefore not new to Distinguished Senator David Mark.

Mark was retired from the Nigerain Army in the year 1993 by Nigeria's maximum military ruler , General Sani Abacha. He fled the country and went on exile to England coming back when Abacha died in 1998. The bright light of his period of exile was a controversial interview he granted News watch editors, in which he acused General Sani Abacha of harbouring an agenda to continue as Head of State forever. David Mark was the fugitive most feared by Abacha Government, who tried on a few occasions to eliminate him, but failed. David Alechenu Bornaventure Mark as he is popularly called in his full name returned from exile on 5th September 1998 to a tumantous reception by his Idoma people which instantly made him their Leader responding to the yearnings and aspirations of the people. He joined the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) and was privileged to contest elections to the Senate. He was subsequently elected to be the representative for Benue South Senatorial District under the umbrella of the PDP during the Senatorial election of April 1999 in which he won gallantly. He was sworn in as Senator of the Federal republic in June 1999 and 2003 he held the following positions in the Senate.

• Chairman Senate Committee on Police Affairs
• Member Senate Committee on Defence.
• Member Senate Committee on Local and Foreign Debts.

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And After that...

Again in April 2007 David Mark was re-elected and on 3rd June was sworn-in as distinguished Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for the 3rd consecutive time, this can only be an attestation of his acceptance by his constituents. On 5th June Senator Mark went through a keenly contested election on the floor of the Senate, in which he defeated his former Governor, for the exalted position of Senate President. He was conseqently sworn in as the president of the Seventh Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. In addition he is currently Chairman Senate Committee on selection and Chairman Joint National Assembly. In the Senate David Mark has supported a number of bills. These include the Anti-corrption bill, Niger-delta bill, Minimum wage bill and the Universal Primary Education bill, while he was Chairman Senate Committee on Police Affairs, Mark initiated a strategy in conjunction with other stake holders, which has resulted in an improved image for the Nigerian police , as well as an enhanced pay package. The Police Equipment Fund , which received his blessing, have contributed towards better equipment, arms and vehicles for the Police.

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Currently in the Senate...