President Bola Tinubu has commenced consultations on who will replace Simon Lalong as the new minister of labour and employment.
According to Business Day, Tinubu, in separate instances, met with Lai Mohammed, the former minister of information and culture under the immediate past administration of President Muhammadu Buhari and Aminu Masari, the former governor of Katsina state.
This is coming following the resignation of Lalong, former Minister of Labour and Employment, from the Federal Executive Council, FEC.
Imran Muhammad, a presidential aide, confirmed the acceptance of Lalong’s resignation by President Tinubu.
Muhammad also noted that a valedictory session for Lalong will be held at the next FEC meeting.
The President had met the two chieftains of the All Progressive Congress, APC, separately last week as part of the consultations, according to BusinessDay sources at the presidential Villa, Abuja.
While Aminu Masari served as the immediate past Governor of Katsina state, Lai Mohammed was the immediate past Minister of Information under former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.
It is not, however, confirmed whether the President will pick any of them to replace Lalong, especially because the office was zoned to the North Central.
Sources said the odds might favour Lai Mohammed, who hails from Kwara state, if the President stick to the zoning.
Kwara state already has the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, in the person of Lateef Fagbemi, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria ( SAN)
Lalong, a former two-term Plateau State House of Assembly Speaker, had served as President Bola Tinubu’s Campaign Council Director General in the February Presidential poll.
He contested for the Senatorial Seat but was initially declared the loser by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)
He, however, challenged the result, and the Court of Appeal ruled in his favour, overturning the previous verdict.
