Lalong Reacts As Tribunal Declares Him Winner Of Plateau South Senate Election

Posted by Thandiubani on Tue 12th Sep, 2023 - tori.ng

Recall that Lalong was among the top politicians who were denied victory in the February 25th senatorial elections across the country.

Nigeria's Minister of Labour and Employment, former Governor of Plateau State, Simon Lalong has broken his silence after he was declared winner of the Plateau South senatorial district.

The judgement was delivered by the National Assembly Elections Petition Tribunal in Jos, Plateau State.

Recall that Lalong was among the top politicians who were denied victory in the February 25th senatorial elections across the country.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, however, compensated Lalong by including him in his ministerial appointment nominee list for screening by the Nigerian Senate.

Subsequently, the former governor was screened and confirmed as Nigeria’s new Minister of Labour and Employment.

On Monday, however, the tribunal upturned the victory of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Napoleon Bali, over an invalid nomination.

Chairman of the three-member panel, Justice Mahmoud Tukur, who declared the judgement, stated that the votes scored by the PDP candidate, in the February 25 election were wasted, stating that as of the time of the nomination, the PDP had no valid structure in the state.

Reacting to the development, Lalong, said he cannot contain his joy over the development.

In a statement released via his official X (formerly Twitter) platform, the Minister extended his appreciation to the tribunal, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and his supporters for their dedication.

The statement reads, “I can’t contain my joy after the recent victory at the Senatorial Election Petition tribunal here in Jos.

“I want to express my deep gratitude to God and the incredible people of Plateau South Senatorial District for their unwavering support. It is a Monday I’ll never forget.

“I was in Abuja, presiding over an official function at the Ministry of Labour and Employment when I received the news of the tribunal’s decision.

“The ruling nullifying my opponent’s earlier declaration and declaring me the rightful winner filled me with immense satisfaction.

“To me, this victory signifies a triumph for democracy and justice. I want to extend my heartfelt appreciation to the tribunal members for their meticulous examination of our arguments and the presentations made by my party, the APC.

“Their dedication to upholding the principles of fairness and transparency has not gone unnoticed.

“I must also commend my loyal supporters and the dedicated members of the APC in Plateau State. Throughout this process, they remained steadfast and displayed remarkable calmness while awaiting the tribunal’s verdict.

“Their unwavering support has been a source of strength for me. As we celebrate this victory, I urge everyone to maintain peace and unity. Even if my opponent decides to exercise his constitutionally guaranteed right to appeal the judgement, let us continue to uphold the values of democracy and respect for the rule of law.”

It is, however, yet unclear If the minister would resign his position to join the lawmakers at the upper chamber of the National Assembly.