Simon Lalong, the Minister of Labour and Employment, has found himself at a crossroads, torn between assuming the role of a senator or continuing his current position as a minister.
The confusion arose following the Court of Appeal’s decision in Abuja, overturning the election of Napoleon Bali from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Plateau South. The court declared Lalong as the rightful winner and directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to issue him a certificate of return.
Despite the official recognition, Lalong, in a video shared by SYMFONI, an online TV channel, expressed uncertainty about his next move.
He urged his audience to pray for him as he grapples with the decision, stating; “Each time I am with him (a comrade), he will remind me that, please don’t go to Senate, please remain with us at the Ministry of Labour. Maybe that is not what my constituency will also say because as I am now, I am a very confused man, because whether to go to left or go to right but pray for me to take the best decision.
“If I remain with you, I will remain as a comrade but if I go there…
“I told comrade (Adams) Oshiomhole, I said they mentioned you to go and speak on behalf of the Labour. I said no, Comrade Aremu should speak. They said ‘why?’, I said as a senator, I think you have partly committed class suicide. You may be shifting a little bit, until we see you after for four years, we will not confirm that you are intact. So it is only that time that we will know whether you have committed class suicide or you are still within as a comrade.”