Plateau South: Lalong Denies Constituents Representation, Holds On To Ministerial Position, INEC Certificate

Plateau South: Lalong Denies Constituents Representation, Holds On To Ministerial Position, INEC Certificate

In November, the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal settled the prolonged legal dispute over the Plateau South senatorial election by declaring Simon Lalong as the elected senator.

The three-member panel of the appellate court invalidated the candidacy of Napoleon Bali from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), ruling that he was not properly nominated for the 25 February election. Subsequently, the court directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to issue a certificate of return to Mr. Lalong, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate.

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INEC has duly complied with the court order, issuing the certificate to Mr. Lalong. Currently serving as the Minister of Labour and Employment in the Federal Executive Council (FEC), the 60-year-old minister expressed confusion regarding whether to assume his Senate seat or continue as a minister.

Sources within the APC suggest that Mr. Lalong is leaning towards resigning from his ministerial position to take up the role of a federal lawmaker. However, this claim remains unverified as of now. When contacted, Patience Onuobia, an official of the labour and employment ministry and its former spokesperson, declined to comment on the matter.

Simon Lalong, the immediate past governor of Plateau State, assumed office as minister on 21 August following Senate clearance. With a political history that includes serving as the speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly and director general of the APC Presidential Campaign for the February presidential election, Mr. Lalong has played prominent roles in Nigerian politics.

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It has now been over a month since the Court of Appeal declared Mr. Lalong as the senator for Plateau South; however, he has not yet presented himself for swearing in as a member of the red chamber of the National Assembly. This delay is affecting his constituents in the restive North-central state, Plateau.

Plateau South encompasses six local government areas, including Langtang North, Langtang South, Mikang, Qua’Pan, Wase, and Shendam, where Mr. Lalong hails from. The senatorial district has been previously represented by individuals such as Silas Janfa, Cosmos Niagwan, John Shagaya (all deceased), Victor Lar, Jeremiah Useni (a retired general), and Nora Daduut, a professor. The prolonged absence of a representative in the Senate from Plateau South raises concerns about effective representation and governance in the region.

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The Nigerian constitution does not explicitly specify the timeframe within which a senator should be sworn in after a court judgment. What is evident is that Mr. Bali, the senator replaced by Mr. Lalong, vacated the Senate promptly following the court’s decision.

Legal experts argue that Mr. Lalong must make a decision, particularly at a time when his state is grappling with ethnic conflict and bandit tension. The prevailing circumstances in Plateau State emphasize the need for effective representation and leadership in addressing the challenges faced by the constituents.

“He (Mr Lalong) has to decide whether he wants to remain a minister but if he has chosen to go back to the senate, then that has to be done as soon as possible,” said Femi Falana, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).

“The fact that he has picked up his certificate of return, it means he has to go to the Senate so that his constituency can have adequate representation at the senate,” Mr Falana said, adding, “There is no time limit, but the court has made an order and the order has to be complied with as soon as possible,” Mr Falana told PREMIUM TIMES.

Eze Onyekpere, a senior lawyer, said that Mr Lalong ought to have resigned as minister as soon as he picked up his certificate of return.

“By collecting his certificate of return, it is an expression of interest that he is ready to serve as a senator,” Mr Onyekpere said, noting, “If he had declined and continued serving as a minister, that would have allowed INEC to organise a by-election.”

“The implication here is that he is denying his constituents representation in the parliament,” the lawyer said.

Credit: Premium Times

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