Simon Lalong quits Tinubu’s cabinet to take up Plateau senatorial seat

Labour and employment minister Simon Lalong has resigned from President Bola Tinubu’s cabinet.

The minister tendered his resignation after a federal executive council meeting last Wednesday, which also marked his last on-duty appearance in the council. However, the news became public much later. The presidency has confirmed that Mr Tinubu has accepted the resignation.

Mr Lalong’s resignation follows the recent ruling of the Court of Appeal, which affirmed that he won his bid for a senatorial seat during the February 2023 National Assembly election. He concluded his two-term, eight-year tenure as Plateau governor in May.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had previously announced retired Nigerian Air Force chief Napoleon Bali as the winner of the election but Mr Lalong’s post-election contest before the tribunal was decided in his favour, and the appellate court has now upheld the verdict.

Mr Lalong previously served terms in the Plateau State House of Assembly, where he was speaker from 2000 to 2007. He was the director-general of the Tinubu Campaign Organisation in the lead-up to the 2023 presidential election.

The now-former minister is due to be sworn in as a member of the parliament later this week.