“We elect hyenas to take care of our goats… and when the goats are consumed, we wonder why.” – Prof. P.L.O. Lumumba
Culled
After serving for eight years as the Governor of Plateau State, Simon Bako Lalong contested for the Plateau South Senatorial seat.
In that election, he lost badly. Running under the APC, Lalong secured 91,674 votes, while his main opponent, Bali Ninkap Napoleon of the PDP, garnered 148,844 votes. Naturally, Bali Napoleon was declared the winner.
But here’s the twist: Bali Napoleon is not the one representing Plateau South in the Senate today — it’s Simon Bako Lalong.
So, how did that happen?
After the election and official declaration of results, Lalong went to court. The judge ruled that the PDP had no valid party structure in Plateau State, rendering all its candidates — except the governor — ineligible. As a result, candidates who came second were declared winners. That’s how Lalong found his way into the Senate.
As if that electoral acrobatics weren’t enough, just yesterday, Simon Bako Lalong was appointed Chairman of the Senate Committee on Electoral Matters.
Let that sink in.
Just imagine the “wonderful reforms” such a man will pursue. Surely, our elections will soon surpass those of the UK and India, right?
It reminds me of a quote by Prof. P.L.O. Lumumba: “We elect hyenas to take care of our goats… and when the goats are consumed, we wonder why.”
But the professor missed one key point: sometimes, we don’t even elect them.
