Nat. Assembly, Not NGF, Saved Nigeria From Constitutional Crisis During Yar’adua’s Ill-health – David Mark

By Ayodele Oni

Former Senate President, David Mark, and ex–Minister of Youth Development and Sports, Bolaji Abdullahi, have disagreed over the initiator of the Doctrine of Necessity which led to the emergence of Goodluck Jonathan as Acting President in 2010.

Abdullahi, in his new book, claimed that the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) initiated the doctrine, while Mark maintained that it was conceived and executed solely by the Senate.

Mark insisted that it had no connection to the NGF or to any individual from Kwara State, including former Governor Bukola Saraki.

He made the clarification on Tuesday in Abuja during the public presentation of Abdullahi’s memoir, The Loyalist.

According to Mark, the Senate independently took responsibility for resolving the constitutional crisis created by the prolonged absence of President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, who had been out of the country for medical treatment since November 23, 2009, without transmitting a written declaration to the National Assembly as required under Section 145 of the 1999 Constitution.

Reacting to the claim, Mark firmly rejected the narrative.

“The Doctrine of Necessity is the sole responsibility of the Senate and has nothing to do with Kwara State or anyone from Kwara State. It was the collective decision and responsibility of the Senators at that time.”

Mark, now National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), stressed that the action taken by the Senate was driven by national interest and the urgent need to prevent a constitutional breakdown.

After weeks of political uncertainty, the Senate, on February 10, 2010, invoked the Doctrine of Necessity and swore in then Vice President Goodluck Jonathan as Acting President, vesting him with full presidential powers pending Yar’Adua’s recovery.

However, in his 297-page memoir, Abdullahi claimed that the initiative originated from the NGF under Saraki’s leadership.

He wrote that Saraki personally asked him to draft a statement proposing the doctrine to the National Assembly, adding that this move ultimately enabled Jonathan’s formal assumption of office.

Abdullahi further argued that tensions between Saraki and Jonathan stemmed from the Yar’Adua era, alleging that members of Jonathan’s inner circle believed Saraki and the governors frustrated Jonathan’s emergence as Acting President.