The Minister of Labour and Employment, Simon Lalong is weighing his options regarding retaining his ministerial portfolio or going to the National Assembly as the Senator representing Plateau South.
The Minister is yet to take a final decision on what should be his next course of action and is reported to be consulting his constituents.
It would be recalled that the tribunal victory of Lalong as the Senator representing Plateau South was affirmed by the Appeal Court sitting in Abuja last week Tuesday.
The three-man panel of the Appeal Court led by Justice Williams Daudu affirmed the decision of the Tribunal regarding the outcome of the election.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared Senator Napoleon Bali of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) as the winner of the original poll, but the National Assembly and State Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Jos had on September 11, declared Lalong who contested on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), as the Senator-elect representing Plateau South, and sacked Bali based on irregularities in the PDP primaries that produced him.
The Tribunal had cited faulted PDP’s failure to obey a Jos High Court order which directed the party to mandatorily conduct ward congresses as the reason for ruling in favour of Lalong and APC which filed a petition against the election outcome.
The decision of the Tribunal was affirmed on Tuesday by the Appeal Court.
The Appellate Court held that the 1999 Constitution states that all authorities and persons are expected to comply with orders and judgements of a court but the PDP failed to hold a valid congress.
Note that President Bola Tinubu has also appointed Lalong as Minister and the former Governor has since resumed duties.
Reacting to the latest development, the Minister’s aide, Makut Simon Macham said Lalong was still consulting his constituents on whether he would choose to remain as a minister or go for the senatorial seat.
“The Minister of Labour and Employment and former governor of Plateau State, Simon Bako Lalong, gives God all the glory for this affirmation as the duly elected Senator representing Plateau South Senatorial District.
“He dedicates this victory to the entire people of the district and renews his commitment to national service. He is widely consulting on the mandate and will make known his decision at the appropriate time,” the media adviser said as quoted by Daily Trust.
