Why the discrepancy in my name — Lalong

Governor Simon Bako Lalong of Plateau State has cleared the air on how he came to bear the name Simon Sule or Sule Simon Lalong, a name he supplied in his form CF001 as presented to the Independent National Electoral Commission during the March election.

The name controversy is one of the issues contested by Lalong’s main challenger, Sen. Jeremiah Useni and his party the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The election petitions tribunal had dismissed Useni’s petition earlier in October stating that Lalong’s name change had been backed by an affidavit and newspaper publication. But the former FCT Minister had last week appealed the judgement.

However, the governor at the weekend while honouring his late uncle, Miskoom Stephen Sule Nanbiet in Shendam

Local Government Area, said he was raised and trained by his late uncle and was enrolled in school bearing the name Sule.

“When my uncle asked my father to release me to him, my father told him that he has become your son, take him with you. Because of the kind of tradition of love and oneness that existed in our culture, all of us under him bore his name Sule because he registered us in school,” the governor stated.

A statement by Lalong’s Director of Press and Public Affairs, Dr. Makut Simon Macham, quoted the governor as saying that after completing his education, Miskoom Nanbiet had advised Lalong to bear his family name being his father’s first son adding, “that was when I did an affidavit to take on my family name of Bako. But unfortunately, my opponents are making an issue of it even when the tribunal rejected their arguments.”