Simon Bako Lalong (CON) is a Nigerian lawyer and politician, he is the immediate past governor of Plateau State and currently the minister of labor and employment.
In this article, Enigeria Newspapers explores the biography, career and life story of Simon Lalong.
Profile Summary
Name: Simon Bako Lalong(CON)
Born: 5th May 1963
State of Origin: Shendam, Plateau State
Education: University of Jos
Marital status: Married
Political party: All Progressive Congress( APC)
Occupation:Politician, businessman
Religion: Christianity
Early Life
Lalong was born on May 5th, 1963 in Ajikamai, a village in Shendam LGA of Plateau State, Nigeria.
Education
He started his education at the Roman Catholic Mission (RCM) Primary School Shendam and had his First School Leaving Certificate in 1977, he also went to Government Secondary School Shendam where he obtained his West African Senior School Certificate 1982.
He further enrolled in the School of Preliminary Studies Keffi and graduated with a distinction in 1986.
In a quest for more knowledge, he got admitted into the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and had a degree in Law in 1990.
In 1991 he was called to bar after attending the Nigerian Law school in Lagos. He later obtained a master’s degree in Law from the University of Jos, in 1996.
Family
Being a Christian, he is married to Regina Lalong and they have three children together.
Career
After his graduation from Law School, he served as an attorney and worked with some law firms for some years.
He was a co-founder of some law firms before he established his own firm, Simon B. Lalong & Co. Legal Practitioners.
While serving in the legal field, he was the Assistant Secretary, Nigeria Bar Association, Plateau State Chapter and the National President of Goemai Youth Movement between 1992 to 1994.
Political career
He ventured into politics in 1998 on the platform of the People’s Democratic party ( PDP) and represented Shendam Constituency in Plateau State House of Assembly.
He served as speaker of the house for seven years, between October 2000 to 2006 and this made him to be recorded as the longest serving speaker of the House in the history of Plateau State.
While being the speaker of the house, he was elected twice as chairman of the Conference of Speakers of the 36 states of Nigeria.
He contested in the gubernatorial elections of Plateau State under the platform of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in 2015 and won. He was sworn in as the new governor of Plateau State on May 29, 2015 and was re-elected in 2019.
In the 2023 general elections, Lalong contested for the seat of the senate to represent Plateau South senatorial zone in the National Assembly during the 2023 election but lost to an opponent, Napoleon Bali of the People’s Democratic Party.
Awards
In October 2022, a Nigerian national honour of Commander Of The Order Of The Niger (CON) was conferred on him by President Muhammadu Buhari.
In August 2023, he he was given a ministerial portfolio as the minister of labor and employment by president Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
