Tribunal Declares Minister of Labour and Employment, Simon Lalong Winner of Senatorial election

 

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Simon Lalong has been declared winner of a February 25 Parliamentary election held in Plateau state.

 

This is according to the ruling of the Plateau state Election Tribunal Court.

 

The former Plateau State governor, who was Director-General of Tinubu/Shettima Campaign, was among the seven governors declared as losers of senatorial elections. He was later appointed as Minister of Labour. 

 

He had filed a petition challenging the outcome of the Senatorial election that saw Napoleon Bali of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) declared winner while Lalong who ran under the All Progressive Congress (APC) the loser.

 

Delivering judgement on Monday September 11, the National and State Petition Election Tribunal sitting in Jos sacked the senator representing Plateau South, Napoleon Bali, and declared Lalong as winner.

 

The tribunal also sacked Peter Gyendeng as member representing Barikin Ladi/ Riyom federal constituency of the House of Representatives and declared Fom Dalyop of the Labour Party (LP) who became second in the February 25 general elections in the state, as winner.

 

In their separate rulings, Justice Omaka Elekwo and Justice Muhammad Tukur nullified the election of the two PDP candidates because of the party’s refusal to respect the order of a Jos High court to conduct ward congresses before the last general elections.

 

The Justices therefore said the evidence presented by the APC and LP candidates were relevant and admissible.