Simon Lalong


Simon Lalong is a Nigerian lawyer and politician, who is the present Governor of Plateau State, Nigeria.

Education

After his elementary and secondary schools education in Shendam Local Government Area he proceeded to the School of Preliminary Studies Keffi, passing out in 1986. He then continued to Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, graduating in 1990 with a bachelor's degree in Law. This was immediately followed by the Law School in Lagos, where he was also called to Bar. He later obtained a master's degree in Law from the University of Jos, in 1996.

Professional career

Lalong’s professional career as an attorney lasted between 1992, the year following his graduation from law school, and 1998, the dawn of Nigeria’s new democracy. During this period he worked with a few law firms, one of which he co-owned. Between 1992 and 1994 he was the Deputy Scribe of the Nigerian Bar Association in Plateau State. After a political stint that lasted seven years he again returned to legal practice as the Principal Partner of Simon B Lalong and Co, until 2015.

Political life

Simon Lalong temporarily discarded legal practice to join the political bandwagon in 1998. Under the People's Democratic Party, he successfully contested the seat of the member of the Plateau State House of Assembly representing his native Shendam Constituency. In October 2000 he became the speaker of the assembly, occupying that position till the year 2006, following a political storm within the House. The seven years he served as the Speaker of that assembly made him the longest serving speaker of the House in the history of Plateau State. During that period he was two times elected as the Chairman of the Conference of Speakers of the 36 states of Nigeria. In the year 2015, as the second tenure of the serving Governor of Plateau State, Jonah Jang, neared its end, Lalong joined the contest to succeed Jang. This time, he did so under the All Progressive Congress political platform. His chances seemed narrow at the beginning, but the capricious nature of politics tipped the balance eventually, favoring him by a slim margin. He was sworn in as the new Governor of Plateau State on May 29, 2015.
In the March 9, 2019 Plateau State Gubernatorial Election and March 23, 2019 Plateau State supplementary Gubernatorial Election, Lalong was reelected as Governor of Plateau State, having polled 595,582 votes against his rival, Gen. Jeremiah Husseini of the People’s Democratic Party who polled 546,813 votes. He was re-elected as the governor of Plateau State on May 29, 2019.