CONGRATULATIONS TO LALONG

Rt. Hon. Barr. Simon Lalong

Rt. Hon. Barr. Simon Bako Lalong, the Governor-elect of Plateau State, was born on May 5th, 1963. He is a native of Ajikamai in Shendam Local Government Area of Plateau State. Simon Bako Lalong had his Primary School Education at R. C. M. Primary School, Shendam, from where he obtained the First School Leaving Certificate in 1977. His Secondary School Education was at G. S. S Shendam from where he obtained the ‘O’ Level Certificate in 1982. After that he went to S. P. S Keffi from where he passed his 'A’ Levels in 1986 and proceeded to study Law at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and graduated with a Bachelors Degree in Law in 1990. He went to Law School at Lagos and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1991. He did not stop there but proceeded to read for the Masters Degree of LLM at the University of Jos, which he passed in 1996.

Lalong started law professional practice in 1992 with the firm of T. Obot & Co. Legal Practitioners in Jos immediately after serving the mandatory National Youth Service Corps in the Legal Unit of the FCDA, Abuja. He also worked with Victor Fomwul & Co in Jos from 1997 to 1999 as the Managing Partner. He later opened his own Law Chambers, Simon B. Lalong & Co. Legal Practitioners, and he was the Principal Partner..

In 1999, Lalong harkened the call of his contested the State House of Assembly seat of the Shendam constituency, which he won with a landslide victory on the platform of the PDP. He was elected the Speaker of the State House of Assembly in October 2000. His leadership qualities earned him the record of the longest serving Speaker in the history of Plateau State legislature, from 2000 to 2006, that is, seven unbroken years).

While serving as Speaker, his leadership qualities endeared him to his colleagues, the other Speakers in other States and they elected him Chairman, Nigerian Conference of Speakers, twice, in 2001 and in 2002. He was also at various times, the National Chairman, Forum of All Former Speakers of Nigeria and Chairman of Former State Legislators, Plateau State Chapter.

He is associated with the enactment of legislation leading to the creation of the Plateau State University, now Solomon Lar University, in Bokkos, the College of Agriculture, Garkawa, the College of Arts, Science and Remedial Studies, Kurgwi, the Creation of additional Chiefdoms and Districts in Plateau State, the creation of additional State Wards and a Private Member’s Bill for the establishment of Local Government Council structures.

In 2015, Simon Bako Lalong contested the Governorship seat of Plateau State on 11th April 2015 on the Platform of the All Progressive Congress (APC) and won.

We congratulate him and wish him a very successful tenure.