JUST IN: Tribunal Declares Labour Minister Lalong Senator-Elect

The National Assembly and State Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Jos has declared the Minister of Labour and Employment, Simon Lalong, as the Senator-elect representing Plateau South.

The court sacked Senator Napoleon Bali of the People’s Democratic Party for emerging from a fraudulent primary electoral process.

Recall that after the February poll, the Independent National Electoral Commission declared Bali the winner.

Lalong was subsequently appointed as Labour minister by President Bola Tinubu.

He has since commenced duties in Abuja while the Tribunal sitting was ongoing.

But on Monday, the court faulted PDP’s failure to obey a Jos High Court order which directed the party to mandatorily conduct ward congresses.

The All Progressives Congress under whose platform Lalong contested, had contended that PDP primary poll was flawed.

The tribunal agreed with the APC legal team and subsequently affirmed Lalong senator.