PHOTOS: Akpabio Administers Oath As Simon Lalong Assumes Plateau South Senatorial Seat

Published December 20, 2023 at 1:42 PM

Akpabio Administers Oath As Simon Lalong Assumes Plateau South Senatorial Seat

Written By Oshiobugie John

In a ceremony presided over by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Simon Lalong, former Minister of Labour Employment and Productivity, was sworn in as a member of the 10th Senate. The swearing-in took place on Wednesday at the Senate floor, where Lalong, the former governor of Plateau State, officially assumed the position representing Plateau-South on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC). CONTINUE READING

Having resigned from his ministerial position earlier on Tuesday and immediately tendering his resignation to President Bola Tinubu, Lalong emerged victorious in the Plateau-South Senatorial District election following the Court of Appeal’s decision to uphold the lower tribunal’s judgment.

Upon taking the oath of office, Lalong expressed his initial desire to be a senator after completing his tenure as governor in May 2023. He had temporarily opted for a ministerial role at the invitation of President Tinubu due to a legal case he was pursuing.

In response to his inauguration, Lalong committed to serving his constituents to the best of his abilities. The National Chairman of the APC, Alhaji Abdullahi Ganduje, described the event as a moment of happiness and emphasized the party’s commitment to good legislation and the prosperity of all Nigerians.

The Court of Appeal’s decision on November 7 had validated Lalong as the winner of the Plateau-South Senatorial District election, overturning the Independent National Electoral Commission’s initial declaration of the Peoples Democratic Party candidate, Mr. Napoleon Bali, as the winner. Lalong’s legal challenge questioned the PDP’s structures in the state, asserting that they were insufficient for a candidate to contest an election.

The inauguration marks a new chapter for Simon Lalong as he takes on his role as a senator, representing the interests of Plateau-South in the Nigerian Senate.

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