A former Senate president, David Mark, has finally
responded to report exposing his link with offshore shell companies in breach
of Nigeria’s code of conduct for public officers.
On Tuesday, PREMIUM TIMES exclusively reported Mr.
Mark’s links with eight offshore companies in British Virgin Island as shown by
the leaked database of Mossack Fonseca, a Panamanian law firm reputed for
helping clients register shell companies, some of which are used for illicit
purposes
.
The Mossack Fonseca database shows that Mr. Mark is
one of Nigeria’s most extensive users of offshore shell companies, even while
being a public official.
The companies are Sikera Overseas S.A, Colsan
Enterprises Limited, Goldwin Transworld Limited, Hartland Estates Limited,
Marlin Holdings Limited, Medley Holdings Limited, Quetta Properties Limited,
and Centenary Holdings Limited.
In the documents, Mr. Mark was repeatedly marked as
a politically exposed person, and at a point the former Senate President had to
send documents, across to Mossack Fonseca to prove that he was clean.
Before the report was published on Monday, Mr. Mark
declined to respond to PREMIUM TIMES inquiry.
But on Thursday, he responded through a statement
by his media aide, Paul Mumeh, denying link to any offshore company.
In his response Thursday,
Mr. Mark claimed he had gone through the #PanamaPapers database and that he was
never mentioned anywhere.
However, Joshua Olufemi,
Project Manager at the Premium Times Centre for Investigative Journalism, has
punctured the former Senate president’s claims.
“It is the height of
falsehood for David Mark to claim he has looked through the database, and that
he didn’t find his name,” Mr. Olufemi said. “The database is not public, and
the strict security protocol around it will not allow unauthorised users to
access it. So which database did he check?
“It is sad that a man who
was the number three official in our country will cook up this level of lies.
If he indeed has access to the database, he should look again, and he will find
his name and his companies listed there. The earlier he accepts that reality
the better.”
Mr. Olufemi said his centre
will, through its parent newspaper, PREMIUM TIMES, release additional
information on Mr. Mark’s case as necessary.
It remains unclear what
businesses Mr. Mark conducted with the companies he incorporated in the named
tax havens.
While not all owners or
operators of such offshore entities are criminals, owning or maintaining
interest in private companies while serving as a public official is against Nigerian
laws.
Section 6 (b) of the Code
of Conduct Act says a public office holder shall not, “except where he is not
employed on full‐time basis, engage or participate in the
management or running of any private business, profession or trade.
DAVID MARK’S
RESPONSE IN FULL
Our attention has been
drawn to spurious Media reports on the Panama papers in which former President
of the Senate, Senator David Mark was alleged to have operated offshore
companies.
For the avoidance of doubt,
in the released materials of the Panama Leaks, his name is not listed anywhere
in the database of Mossack Fonseca Law Firm.
We reiterate categorically,
that he is not directly or indirectly connected to any of the companies
registered, operated or managed by the Mossack Fonseca Law Firm.
We challenge all those
behind this propaganda and Media outburst to prove or show that Senator Mark’s
name was mentioned in the leaks. He is prepared to stand and defend himself
against any accusation in relation to this matter.
Senator Mark’s Media team
has carried out its own search of the Mossack Fonseca database and found no
statement, item or any connection to Senator David Mark or his Family. It
follows that there is no record whatsoever of any impropriety or wrongdoing.
We recall that in his quest
for Senate Presidency in 2007, there was an attempt to bring a similar issue to
the fore in order to stop him. So what are their fears now in 2016 for
regurgitating the same issue?
Once more, Senator Mark has
distanced himself and any member of his family from the said Mossack Fonseca
Firm and has no affiliation whatsoever with any company operated, registered or
managed by Mossack Fonseca.
Senator Mark has not
contravened any laws of the land and he is treating this for what it is, an
attempt to blackmail and tarnish his hard earned image by some political
elements.
As a public officer,
Senator Mark has maintained a high level of decorum, respects and observes the
laws of the land and believes in the sanctity of the rule of law. He will not
be distracted by what is clearly a deliberate mischief and propaganda.
Records of all his assets
are available with the relevant government agencies and can be verified.
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