Lalong sworn in as Plateau South senator

The immediate past governor of Plateau State, Simon Lalong, has taken his oath of office and allegiance to represent Plateau South in the Senate.

The administration of Lalong’s oath of allegiance followed his declaration as the winner of the Plateau South senatorial election by the Appeal Court.

The Clerk of the Senate, Chinedu Akubueze, administered the oath and allegiance on Lalong, who recently resigned as the Minister of Labour and Employment, at plenary in Abuja on Wednesday, December 20, 2023.

Lalong had challenged and filed a petition challenging the declaration of Napoleon Bali of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the winner of the senatorial election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)’.

INEC had declared Bali as the winner of the election, while Lalong came second in the February 25 poll.

But Lalong asked the tribunal to nullify Bali’s election on the grounds that the PDP did not have a proper party structure and, therefore, could not file candidates for the election.

The tribunal, in a unanimous judgement read by Justice Muhammad Tukur, said the PDP, having no structure, lacked the right to have taken part in the election.

The Star