Plateau: Controversy Breaks Out Over Lalong’s Certificate

Controversy over the eligibility of Governor Simon Lalong to have stood for the last governorship election has broken out on the plateau following submission that the certificate he presented to the election management body is a forgery.

The Peoples Democratic Party in Plateau State and its gubernatorial candidate in the 2019 elections, Senator Jeremiah Useni broke the issue on Friday at the Governorship Tribunal when they asked that the tribunal should rule that the governor was not eligible to have stood for the election.

The certificate he presented is Simon Sule Bako whereas the governor is known as Simon Bako Lalong.

Useni’s counsel, Barr. Mike Ozekhome, SAN in his submission at the pre-trial hearing asked the tribunal to spare itself the stress of adjudicating on the main issue by declaring the governor ineligible to have contested and by that declare Useni governor.

The counsel to the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, Garba Pwul SAN, however, challenged the aptness of the motion as he said that the contention about the certificate was a pre-election matter which the election tribunal cannot look at.

Besides, he observed that the governor had used the same certificate in his first election as governor of the state in 2015.

Pwul argued that it is a pre-election matter which should not be entertained by the Tribunal and that the same name was used by the Governor during his first term without any problem.

Justice Halima Salman, chairman of the three man tribunal adjourned further deliberations to June 26 when trial is expected to commence.

 And For More Nigerian News Visit GWG.NG