Presidency confirms Lalong’s resignation from the Federal Executive Council (FEC). He is expected to be sworn in by the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio this week. Lalong, the Director-General of the Tinubu Campaign Organisation lost the February 25 Plateau South senatorial election. He challenged the result, and victory was given to him by the Court of Appeal on a platter of technicality.
By Emma Ogbuehi
The Presidency has finally confirmed the resignation of the Minister of Labour and Employment, Simon Lalong, from President Bola Tinubu’s cabinet.
This confirmation came via a post by a presidential aide, Imran Muhammad, on his X handle last night.
Muhammad twitted: “President Tinubu has accepted Minister of Labour and Employment, Simon Lalong’s resignation from the cabinet. His valedictory will hold at the next FEC meeting.”
The spokesman for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Plateau State, Sylvanus Namang, also confirmed Lalong’s resignation.
Lalong, immediate past Plateau State governor, TheNiche learnt, has opted to take the Plateau South Senatorial seat which he lost at the poll but won in court.
TheNiche also reliably gathered that he will be sworn in this week by Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
Lalong, the Director-General of the Tinubu Campaign Organisation in the rundown to the February Presidential poll, lost the February 25 Plateau South senatorial election.
He challenged the result, and victory was given to him by the Court of Appeal on a platter of technicality.
The Court of Appeal ordered the electoral commission to issue him the certificate of return, following the nullification of the election of Air Vice Marshall Napoleon Bali of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who has now vacated the seat.
He received his Certificate of Return last month.
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Lalong was accompanied to the INEC Headquarters by his wife, Regina, and children as well as former Deputy Speaker of House of Representatives Idris Wase; member representing QuanPan, Shendam, Mikang Federal Constituency, John Dafaan; APC Deputy National Secretary Festus Fuanter; Minority leader of Plateau House of Assembly Joe Bukar and some members of the Plateau Assembly; former Majority Leader Naalong; some former Plateau Commissioners; former Head of Service Sunday Hyat, some serving local government chairmen and other supporters.
Lalong, a lawyer and two-term Speaker of Plateau State House of Assembly, tendered his resignation after Wednesday’s FEC meeting, in preparation for resumption at the Red Chamber of the National Assembly.
Tinubu and other APC leaders were said to have held consultations with Lalong after he received the certificate of return.
The consultation, said a source, focused on Lalong’s replacement in FEC.
At the meeting, he was given an opportunity to recommend four names as possible replacement in FEC.
According to the source, party leaders were excited that the resolution of the litigation arising from the Plateau South senatorial poll in Lalong’s favour had swelled its ranks in the Senate.
A party source said Lalong, who is a loyal party member, agreed to resume at the Senate as a sacrifice.
Party leaders also believe that his experience as a two-term House of Assembly Speaker will come in handy as he will unofficially enjoy the status of a ranking senator.
Besides, the source said the thinking in the APC favoured the avoidance of an inevitable supplementary senatorial election which Lalong’s resignation from the Senate would cause.