By Austin Ogwuda
MEMBERS of the Delta State House of Assembly presided over by the Speaker, Rt. Hon Emomotimi Dennis Guwor at Thursday plenary lifted the suspension placed on Barrister Mathew Onojighofia Omonade, representing Ughelli North 1 Constituency.
Although, he was finally left off the hook but was sternly warned against “future occurrence of such actions that tend to undermine the integrity and sanctity of the office of the Governor and Speaker of the House”.
With the lifting of the suspension, all the rights and privileges as a member of the 8th Delta State House of Assembly were immediately restored as pronounced by the Speaker, Rt Hon Emomotimi Dennis Guwor.
The lifting of the suspension followed the adoption of the recommendations of the Adhoc Committee that investigated the alleged gross misconduct of Hon Omonade that led to the suspension.
Chairman of the Adhoc Committee and Majority Leader of the House, Hon Emeka Nwaobi presented the Report during Thursday’s sitting of the House.
.. Nwaobi was a co-sponsor of the Bill
Ironically, competent source hinted The Townhall that Nwaobi was among the 16 Lawmakers that co-sponsored that controversial Bill.
The source said that Nwaobi who is the Majority Leader of the House was cut in the web and resorted to playing the establishment script while going behind to apologize to Omonade.
Nwaobi read out the Ad-hoc Committee’s Report.
Hear him, “Mr Speaker, Hon Omonade has made public apology appealing to this Honourable House to temper justice with mercy for he said, ‘I made a mistake and I have realized my mistake’.
“He further wrote another letter of apology dated 23rd May 2024, wherein he deeply regretted his actions and honestly pledged that the action that led to his suspension would not repeat itself again having understood the importance of maintaining a respectful and collaborative atmosphere in the House, thus dedicating to upholding the standards of the House, thereby hoping to have a positive working relationship with the leadership of the House.
“However, we hereby recommend to the House for adoption that the Honourable Member be sounded a note of warning against future occurrence of such actions that tend to undermine the integrity and sanctity of the office of the Governor and Speaker of the House.
“He should further be recommended to carefully and properly study the House Rules and by extension get understanding that Laws are Universal, for which reason Laws made by one State or country can be domesticated in another State or country to serve the interest of the citizens without anybody from any quarter crying out for plagiarism.
“The suspension placed on the Honourable Member Representing Ughelli North 1 State Constituency, Hon Omonade Mathew Onojighofia be lifted forthwith”, Nwaobi stated.
The recommendations where however subjected to further debates on the floor of the House, where some members, including Hon Oboro Preyor, Bomadi and Austin Uroye, Warri South 1 Constituency, appealed that the suspended Lawmaker be forgiven and suspension lifted as his Constituents would have missed their representative in the State Legislature.
The lifting of the suspension order was unanimously adopted when put to voice votes by the Speaker, Rt Hon Emomotimi Guwor, who expressed concern over the attempt to subject the sacred Assembly into public ridicule.
The Speaker emphasized that in the business of lawmaking, Laws are Universal and can be domesticated anywhere and advised members to always be guided by the Rules.
By the lifting of the suspension yesterday (Thursday) Omonade who is the Chairman, House Committee on Public Petitions is expected to resume on the next adjourned date.
The Townhall which has been following up this story reports that the bone of contention centred on the issue of a Bill on Generation and Distribution of Electricity to be domesticated in Delta State .
It was learnt that Omonade actually carried out extensive research on the Bill and after working on it he passed a copy to Mr Speaker who subsequently forwarded same to the governor.
And when he kept on asking the Speaker access to table it, he was denied only for the Bill to return to the House as an Executive Bill without crediting him regards the intellectual property, amounting to alleged plagiarism.
His suspension came as a punishment for daring to ‘harass’ Mr. Speaker by pestering him to allow him present the Bill which originally was his brain child.
Recall also that The Townhall had earlier reported that Omonade tendered apology under duress following intense pressure and considering the fact that the other 16 members of the House who co-sponsored the controversial Bill chickened out thus abandoning him to lick his wounds alone.
Also reported earlier was the position of Mr. Speaker on the matter during a recent press conference marking the celebration of the First Anniversary of the 8th Assembly.
Speaker Gwor told journalists that “It is very very unfortunate that a member was suspended; that is not our prayer. In life certain things happen.
“The truth is that there is a Committee set up to investigate. I don’t want to preempt the outcome of it. However, Laws are universal, Laws are not books. Books are plagiarised, Laws are not plagiarised”.
