By Ebriku John Friday
The late Hon. Mark Ogbeche Ukpo plays politics without bitterness… As Yala and the entire Cross River State mourns.
His political ideology of non violence and due process has endeared him to his teeming followers.
As a former member of the House of Representatives, the late Mark, made his undeniable marks as a top notch politician.
His selflessness and service-driven life has kept him in the political landscape seeking legitimate mandate of the people. This made him to run for governorship in 1999 as the candidate for the then All Peoples Party (APP). Though he lost that election with a narrow margin to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Mr Donald Duke, he was magnanimous.
As an untiring and unrelenting politician, the late Hon Mark Ukpo ran for the Cross River State northern senatorial district seat as the flag bearer of the Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA) in 2007 and was again defeated by his brother, the PDP candidate, Senator Gregory Ngaji.
Mark, not satisfied with the outcome of the election, approached the tribunal and pursued the case up to the appeal court before the court ruled against him. Again, the man of the people as he was referred to, took the situation in good faith and moved on.
The soft spoken Mark, has groomed many with his philosophical lifestyle. He is also seen as man with a large heart, accommodating all and sundry. His humility is worthy of emulation.
His death was shocking, saddening, and unexpected to most as his close friends, aides and associates, some of which met him in church last Sunday and visited him at his residence early this week and spoke on several issues including the political situation of the country and his home state, Cross River State.
Indeed a great son has departed. A big vacuum has been left behind. The Yala nation is moruning, Cross River State is mourning.
Farewell! Farewell!! Farewell!!!
