Plateau: Lalong lied about his identity to qualify for Governorship – Witness tells Tribunal

The Director General, Plateau State Peoples Democratic Party PDP Gubernatorial campaign Council, Prof. Dimis Mai-Lafia yesterday told the State Governorship election petition tribunal sitting in Jos that reelected Gov. Simon Lalong failed to tell the truth about his identity when contesting in the March 2019 elections.

Lalong who uses four different names on four different documents claimed in his nomination form to have never changed his name, said Prof. Mailafiya.

He said, “In the INEC form which Gov Lalong filled and signed under oath, the column that asked him whether he had ever changed his name, he placed a dash signifying ‘Nil’ or ‘None’.

“The Respondent swore and attached an affidavit that he changed his name from Sule Simon Lalong to Simon Bako Lalong but the other name in his WAEC Certificate which is Simon Sule was not reflected in the change of name.”

The opposition campaign pointsman submitted the different names used by Gov. Lalong as “Simon Sule: WAEC Certificate 1982, Sule, Simon Lalong, IJMB Statement of Result, 1986; ABU Degree Cert, 1990; NYSC Cert, Sule Simon L.: ABU Admission letter and Simon Bako Lalong: University of Jos Masters degree in Law 2006.”

Consequently, the Governor according to Mailafiya lied on oath and was therefore not qualified to contest the election.

The JT Useni/PDP legal team lead by Barr. Mike Ozekhome had proposed to present 12 witnesses yesterday.

Prof. Mailafiya was taken first before the tribunal adjourned to Friday after taking few more witnesses from Wase Local Government Area.

The Tribunal is expected to resume sitting by 10am today.