*Receives certificate of return, hints Akume, Gbajabiamila on decision
Chuks Okocha in Abuja
Minister of Labour and Employment, Simon Lalong, may resign his position in the President Bola Tinubu administration in view of the possibility of returning to the senate.
The Court of Appeal panel on the Plateau State National Assembly elections, a fortnight ago, declared Lalong senator-elect for Plateau South senatorial district.
All senatorial elections end at the Court of Appeal, while only the presidential and governorship elections go to the Supreme Court.
Lalong represented Plateau South in the senate before he became governor in 2015, and served for eight years. He left office as governor and was appointed minister by Tinubu.
A source close to the minister, who pleaded anonymity, told THISDAY that the minister had collected his Certificate of Return from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday.
According to the source, Lalong has communicated his desire to proceed with his senatorial ambition to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume, and the Chief of Staff to the president, Femi Gbajabiamila.
The source said, “The minister is yet to brief President Tinubu on his desire to join the senate after the appeal court’s ruling, but has met with the SGF and the Chief of Staff on the matter and both men had wished him well on the endeavour.
“But, like you know, the president has the final say on the matter. If President Tinubu decides to keep him as minister, he will gladly stay.
“The president returned last night from the G20 Summit in Germany and, hopefully, Lalong will see him tonight and then we will get to know the final stand of things.”
The Court of Appeal in Abuja had nullified the participation of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its senatorial candidate in the February 25 National Assembly Election, Napoleon Bali, for Plateau South Senatorial District, on the grounds of refusal to carry out lawful order of court.
Delivering judgement, a three-member panel led by Justice Elfreda Williams-Dawodu declared as unlawful and wasted votes cast for PDP in the election and declared Lalong, as the senator for the Plateau South senatorial district.
